Aglyphis
by Vrkz
Summary: After the fall of the Black King, Sheik and Link must once more save Hyrule from destruction. Along the way, they meet someone very peculiar.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer and Warnings:

Written in Link's point of view. In the story, Zelda and Sheik are (as many people will hate me for) different people. I don't want to give too much away ;) Also, the story will have Yaoi scenes/themes, which will appear more later (or earlier, depending on chronology) in the text. I will write more as soon as I can.

I don't own the Zelda franchise or any of the characters. The storyline is of my invention (with a little inspiration from Wyna Hiros [author of Aceilux]), as are many of the places, some of which do not appear in the games.

(Finally, I got the whole thing under control. Sorry for those who got confused. This is chapter one, and the rest will follow in order. Promise, I won't do that again. Confused both you and me. Sorry for the inconvenience. Feel free to make comments, questions, or to point out any grammar or spelling that I messed up on.)

Chapter I.

The sun burned brightly down on Kakariko. Even though the townspeople rejoiced that light once again shone after seven years of darkness, I thought a little differently. Repairing the fence had proven to be back-breaking work, after Bolo the Goron had accidently rolled himself right off Death Mountain Trail and completely obliterated the entire length of it. Thousands of splinters of all sizes still littered the ground, even though the children had been picking them up for a good portion of the afternoon.

The hammering began to slow down as my arms began to tire, my grip loosening around the hammer.

_Whap Whap Whap._

"That looks about right," I said. I put the mallet down and tested the wooden fence, shaking it hard with my freed hands. It stood fast, swaying only slightly in the freshly packed earth.

I stood up straight, stretching my arms behind my back. The crowd that had gathered following the accident had dissipated long ago. Now, only Bolo remained.

"Sorry, brother," the goron apologized in his gravelly voice.

I smiled at the rock eater. They were renowned for their clumsiness, especially when rolling. It would probably not be the last time I would help repair something one of them rolled over. "It's not a problem. Just watch where you're going next time, okay?"

"Of course, goro-" he replied. Then he turned and started his trek back up the mountain.

The sun had sunken in the sky, and the moon would rise shortly. Full moon, too, which was always a treat.

Off in the distance, Epona whinnied. She had been grazing in Hyrule Field all day, and was probably ready for a good ride. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. I hurried through the town, waving at the people as they passed on their way to their suppers. The moon had already broken the horizon as I climbed the watchtower, up and up and up. The ladder creaked less than it used to; the carpenters had made a new ladder only two days before.

As I crested the tower, the moon was brightly shining on the earth. It rose slowly, losing more of its orange tinge as it continued on its journey above the world. I leaned up against the railing, the wind whipping at my back.

"You're very predictable." The words nearly sent me tumbling off the tower. Turning to find the oh-so-familiar voice, the silhouette of a lean, masked Sheik stood glistening in the moonlight, arms crossed in front of him. "And very loud."

A wave of happiness washed over me. "I could say the same of you. I'm guessing you happened by Epona on your way here, and just HAD to stop to pat her head, causing her to neigh loudly."

"Your horse is a snitch."

"And if it had been anyone else but you, I'm sure you wouldn't mind half as much." Taking a step forward, I held out my hand, and the firm grip of the sheikah met it. "How've you been?"

"I wish I could say better, but I can't. Too much has happened in the last fortnight to be thus." His gaze traveled to the platform floor, cold and hard as the wood upon which they stared. Those eyes, deeper than lake Hylia, red as Din's magic, glistening in the glow of the full moon. Sometimes I thought that the gods had taken a particular favor when sculpting such a perfect creature.

"Is it the Princess?" I asked, more alert than before. Sheik never spoke thusly if there was not a reason.

"She is not a princess anymore. She is Queen. You'd do well to remember that, Link. And yes, she has a request of you."

I grimaced. No doubt another one of her Majesties attention grabbing demands. After the fall of Ganon, Zelda had been crowned the monarch of Hyrule. In the beginning, she had been the benevolent ruler that I had known, the sage that locked away the evil Ganondorf. Every citizen loved her, without exception. An age of new prosperity had fallen over the kingdom.

But with time, Zelda had become… different. Her taxes on the kingdom had been raised in order to rebuild that which had been destroyed. When the reparations had been complete, however, the taxes were not lowered; on the contrary, they skyrocketed. The poor were taxed more and more, while the nobles and barons kept their wealth. The gap between upper and lower classes expanded. Lon Lon Ranch, the biggest producer of milk and cattle was faced with bankruptcy. The Zora had been alienated over a land dispute over the upper Zora River, which had been regarded as a sovereign nation under King Zora for longer than anyone alive could remember. The Queen often took to cutting off supply trade with towns that did not pay their dues. Crime was up to unbelievable levels. Hyrule had found a new tyrant. If opposed, the Queen deemed the questioner as a heretic and had them executed. The royal guard had become her own personal death squad. This was not the Zelda I had known.

"What is it?" I asked, plastering an expression of feigned concern on my face.

"It is not for me to tell. She has requested your presence. More on it, I cannot say. We will leave tomorrow." Sheik's voice had become monotonous and oddly mechanical, the compulsory expression of the royal guard. After these words, however, he seemed to slacken. "But that is for tomorrow. Have you eaten supper?"

"No, I was just watching the moon. I have a fire ready, was just planning on roasting one of the chickens that died today. Care for a bite? You must be starving if you walked all the way from the castle." I grabbed his upper arm with a smile, feeling the tight, sinewy muscles pulsing underneath my hand. "Put some meat on these bones."

"I might," the Sheikah replied, a hint of playfulness in his voice. "You must have some interesting stories to tell."

***

The next morning, we prepared for the journey to the castle. Epona's saddle hung over a beam of the stables. Pulling out the Ocarina of Time, I felt a wave of moroseness. It had been a gift from Zelda nearly a decade ago, with hopes that it would help save the triforce from the greedy clutches of Ganondorf. Now, however, it seemed nearly as a trinket of regret. I almost wished I had the ocarina Saria had given me on my first trip out of the Kokiri forest instead. Almost.

Bringing it to my lips, the whistle blew a long, loud note, crystal clear. A few fingering changes, and the familiar melody Malon had taught me sang through the air. The majestic thump of hooves could be felt through the ground, announcing prematurely the arrival of Epona. Only a few moments later, the mare came to an abrupt stop directly next to me.

Sheik strolled out of the stable with a full-looking sack. Without my asking, he explained: "Water, wound dressings, firestarters, and some rations."

"Jeez, we're just going to the castle. It's a half days ride at most."

"You never learn, do you? Always going in without thinking. Never assuming for the worst."

"And that's so terrible why?"

The crimson eyes glared at him. "Because that one time the worst does happen, you're dead."

"Alright, alright. You sound like a wife or mother. Or both."

I hopped up on Epona, extending a hand to Sheik. Obviously pissed at the comment, he refused the help.

"Remind me again why the princ… Queen… wouldn't allow you to bring your own horse?"

"She had my horse killed for a feast a month ago."

"Wow." Sheik settled in on the saddle behind me. His body was warm, quite comfortable in the cold morning. "Why horse?"

"Apparently her guests were fond of it."

"So… they served them YOUR horse?"

"No, it was the property of the Queen. It is hers to do with what she likes."

"But you loved that horse."

Sheik sighed as Epona traipsed out of the gate of Kakariko village and proceeded to hurry to a trot into Hyrule Field, the castle visible far in the distance. "That is of no consequence. I'll request a new one when I get back."

"Request? Just take one from the stable."

"Link, it doesn't work that way."

"It should." The Queen was starting to piss me off.

"Zelda says it is, so it is. I am a Sheikah, sworn to uphold that."

"Yeah, well Zelda can stuff it up her royal-" I never got to finish my sentence. With a sudden jerk, I felt my body being yanked backwards. A swift blow to the stomach, and my body fell through the air straight onto the ground, face down in the grass. Dropped like a sack of potatoes. Looking up, circles popping in my eyes, I found Sheik standing balanced on Epona's back, looking down on me furiously, seething with anger.

"She is the Queen of Hyrule, the only remaining of the royal family, and even you, ESPECIALLY you, will give her the proper respect. I am sworn to protect and serve the monarch. You will not speak of her like that again." I had never seen Sheik this upset over it. But perhaps… he was right. It was Zelda. Deep down, it was that shy girl that taught me my first ocarina song. Perhaps I could help her see that again.

"I'm sorry, you're right. She is my friend."

Sheik jumped down off of Epona's back, making no more sound than a ladybug. I felt his arm wrap around under my shoulders, and pull me back up to my feet.

"I never want to have to do that again. I shall regret it till the end of my days."

I laughed weakly, still slightly winded. "Let's just make sure there are a lot of days left. I'd much rather have you here with me." I began to stand freely, lifting my foot into the stirrup of the saddle again. Climbing on, Sheik followed suit. Settling in once again, I whipped on Epona's reins, causing her to resume the brisk jog. Sheiks arms wrapped around my waist, pulling closer to stay on the back of the saddle. I guess he liked the warmth as much as I did.

* * *

Hyrule Castle glistened in the late afternoon sun. The turrets sparkled, the white stone walls illuminated the landscape.

We had been greeted hastily at the front gate by the captain of the Royal Guard. A brutal man, he had executed hundreds of citizens and led attacks on villages more than once. I felt like slicing his vile, rotten body into pieces. Perhaps I would, one day. The captain didn't say anything, only looked over at Sheik with a contemptuous look of disgust, and opened the gate. He obviously didn't approve of the seating arrangements or the fact that Sheik hadn't been killed on his journey. He wouldn't dare lay a finger on Sheik, or the Queen would have his head, so he was passive about it.

I urged Epona on, but was stopped by the other two guards. "Your horse in't going in."

The barricade surprised me. I had ridden Epona all the way into the castle once, a long time ago. She deserved to walk in the castle freely, not be treated like a lame mare. Nevertheless, I didn't want any more trouble than I already probably was in. I still didn't know what she summoned me for. Looking back at Sheik, he gave a little nod. We dismounted. "If anything happens to this horse, I will have your head," Sheik said as he handed the reins to one of the guards. The soldier's armor trembled a little, knowing that the threat was very real.

Stepping through the gate, Sheiks posture changed slightly, signaling his transition from messenger to imperial servant. His muscles tensed, ready to react at the slightest provocation. As such, he proceeded to lead me to the throne room, where evidently Zelda was waiting. Passing through the hallways, I noticed that Zelda's sense of decoration had changed recently. Instead of the royal purple tapestries, the walls were lined with heavy black velvet hangings. Paintings had been removed and others had been put it their places, depicting horrible battles and gruesome executions. I had never been to the throne room before, oddly enough. For all my time in the castle, I had always waited just outside the chamber. Alas, it was to be the same this visit.

Sheik halted for a moment, pausing in front of the magnificent doors that led to the Queen's hall. Instead of opening, he knocked on it respectfully. The doors swung open almost immediately, and two or three guards rushed out, weapons brandished. I instinctually started to draw my own weapon, but Sheik didn't flinch. He simply stood like a statue.

As the guards recognized them, they moved to the sides. I was amazed they didn't ask for our weapons. From between, Zelda strode confidently over to us. Her veil was pulled down over her face.

"Hello, Link," she said simply.

I couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Good afternoon, your majesty." My head bowed a little out of respect. "Long time no see."

"Too long. The Hero of Time is slacking off a bit, no?" Zelda spoke with a world-weary voice, as though she had ruled for a hundred years.

"I manage to keep myself busy."

"In that case, I have something I'd like to ask you."

_Here it comes._

She looked over at Sheik. "Did you tell him yet?" He shook his head once.

"No, Majesty. You gave direct orders not to."

"That's right, I did. And you kept your word. For that, I shall reward you. You can have your pick of any horse in the land as a replacement. I'm sorry for your former horse, I told the guards to pick the healthiest they could find. I didn't intend for them to serve yours. The soldiers shall be severely punished."

"There is no need for such action or an apology."

"But I feel there should be one."

Perhaps I did judge Zelda a little harshly. Her apology seemed to be heartfelt, sincere.

"Anyway, back to business." Zelda turned her veiled face back to me. "Sheik, inform Link on the current situation. I will meet you two down in the dungeons."

Sheik bowed stiffly as Zelda retreated into the throne room, and the doors slammed shut once again. We then turned down the corridor, walking briskly. Sheik spoke as we moved.

"Three days ago," he began still in his robotic voice, "A raid was launched against the Gerudo Fortress. The foray was meant to capture the Gerudo leader, but instead yielded the kidnapping of their High Priestess instead."

I almost felt sick. Zelda never would have done something like this just two years ago. So much pointless destruction, I couldn't understand why she would do such a thing.

Sheik continued, unaffected by the event. "Since the priestess was imprisoned, she has been in a trance. She has been repeating what appears to be a prophecy, regarding the Hero of Time. That, of course, is you."

Well, this was shocking news. He had not had much of an encounter with the Gerudo since the time of the Spirit Temple. The last thief he had spoken to was Nabooru, as the Spirit sage. Rarer and stranger things had happened, but not recently. Though I didn't quite approve of the means of the meeting, I was a little curious as to what this prophecy would contain.

The two of us came to a stop outside the giant, cage like door that led down into the dungeons. Faint screams echoed somewhere from the depths of the catacomb prison. Already on the other side were the Captain and the Queen. I laid my hand upon the gate, and pulled it slowly. The metal hinges creaked with the noise of a thousand blades on shields, and it swung open sluggishly. Sheik seemed to have his feet rooted to the spot.

"I will wait here," he stated. His reasons were his own; I didn't bother with asking why.

A few steps in, and the gate closed behind with an overly loud CLANK. The captain escorted Zelda and I through the maze of iron bars and cells. Eventually, we ended at entrance on the farthest side of the corridor. Taking out an old, rusty key, the captain fed it into the large lock. A click could be heard as the lock released. The heavy oak door opened, and the sight was quite unordinary.

Gerudo clothing was never subtle, but the priestess had an excessively intricate ensemble, which could barely be recognized. The top seemed to once be that of a flowing gown, and now was little more than tattered shreds of silk. Golden tassels and chains had been ripped off unceremoniously, leaving gaping holes in the pants, revealing far more body than in should.

The priestess sat on the stone floor, staring hard at a single spot on the rock wall opposite the door. She chanted in an ancient language, as if possessed by a ghost. The captain took a step over and planted his foot right in her back, between the shoulders with a violent sound. I winced at the strike, while the priestess did not. She continued her chant.

Listening up, I managed to hear what she sang.

Zelda pulled a piece of parchment from somewhere underneath her robe. Extending it to me, she explained quickly. "This is the translation, written by the royal scribe. None can decipher it, but it makes a reference to you, Link."

Unfolding the scroll, I read the runes that were scrawled across the page. It read:

_Shadow cast upon the land_

_As together they must stand_

_To stop the wrath of Power by_

_The Great Hero with Courage nigh. _

_Past the very corners of the world_

_Where such evil is unfurled._

The lines were no particular help. Such level of cryptic speak was always so ambiguous, there was no correct interpretation. Still, it was quite interesting.

I rolled up the scroll once again, only to find that the priestess had turned to face my direction. Her eyes were uncannily white, her irises glazed over as though they had never existed. Her chanting had ceased, her breath shallow and rattled with every exhalation. Then, in the same airy tone:

"Armed with deceit, this foe is seen

Where the Hero has looked, but never been."

With that, the priestess went rigid. After a moment, the thin figure collapsed on the floor, a dull thud as the stone absorbed the impact. Zelda looked concerned as to what this new development could mean.

I, for one, had seen enough. This may not be a prophecy at all, just the madness of a woman who had snapped under the stress of being kidnapped and tortured. The body was badly bruised, blood stained her tabby silk clothing. I just had to get out of the dungeon, or I might do something I'd regret. Pocketing the scroll, we left the chamber.

Zelda was the first to speak. "Does it all mean anything to you?" she asked. I was as puzzled as she was; I shook my head. "Where you have looked, but never been… Still nothing?"

"Not a clue."

"Hm… perhaps one of the temples?"

We met back up with Sheik, still standing in the exact same spot, washboard straight. Something clicked in my mind, putting a few pieces together.

"Maybe…. one idea…" I ventured sheepishly. "The water temple. It's bothered me since I went there last… one door that I didn't check. There hadn't been a real need for it before. It's the only explanation I have. Other than that, nothing sticks out."

Zelda's expression hardened. "Then to lake Hylia you will ride. Sheik, I want you to go with Link."

"Yes, my Queen." Sheik dipped his head in servitude.

"Find this evil that she speaks of. When you return, I will have a reward for you both." I was a little curious as to what it might be, but I decided to forget about it for the time being. It wouldn't come for a long time, if at all. Sheik bowed low to the ground, and I followed suit, albeit with much less respect and enthusiasm.

The captain escorted us back through the castle grounds, a complex maze I remember sneaking through years ago to find the princess that the Great Deku Tree had told me about. So long ago, and yet it seemed only a short while ago. Obviously ticked at the Queen's favorable decision, the captain said nothing the entire trip, other than a few sparse snippets of gravelly speech along the lines of hoping that Sheik drowned in the lake and the occasional over-the-shoulder glare of contempt.

We found ourselves at the stables once again, outside the stone and steel gates of the castle grounds. Epona was tied loosely by a rope around the saddle horn, free to graze around in the green grass, well kept by the equine population. As we approached, her ear perked up, lifting her majestic head, mane swaying slightly in the light breeze. The skies had already turned a dark shade of purple, the last of the sun's glorious rays fading behind the mountains beyond.

The captain piped up for the first time since our arrival at the castle. He spoke in the tersest voice that a human can conjure. "Queen Zelda has extended her arm of hospitality to you. You are to sleep in the most fitting quarters, and leave at the break of dawn."

I took only a moment to consider, and arrived at the decision of 'Not for all the gold in the royal treasury.' I reconsidered word choice before answering.

"The Queen is most gracious," I managed in the most respectful tone I could muster, "but we will leave this evening."

The captain glared at me, his expression that of as if I had just accused his mother of being a codpiece. "The grace of the Queen is not up for debate. You are to sleep in the most fitting quarters. This way."

_Well, damn. Talk about being railroaded._

We followed to the soldier's quarters. Sheik was a little apprehensive. "When you say 'fitting', what exactly is the fit?"

A pain crossed the commander's face as if he had just received an arrow to the calf. "You will have the commanding officer's chamber." Snaking our way through the corridors, we arrived at a mildly decorated oak door.

Another piece of puzzle snapped into place. "Aren't YOU the commanding officer?" I inquired, with a hint of malice (Yes, I'll admit it.)

"That's right. I shall take my leave." And with that, the captain clanked off back towards the stables.

Sheik pushed the door open effortlessly. The insides seemed to be a large study, the walls plastered with maps of every domain of the kingdom, paintings of battles ancient and recent, and the like. In one corner there was a large bed, lined with fine silk sheets, four posts carved into vertical, twisting dragons, and a headpiece inscribed with the oath of the Hyrule Guard. A chair sat at the mahogany desk, upon which sat two plates of what seemed to be double rations. I looked over at Sheik, who was examining the generous surroundings. "I guess I know what stick he's got jammed up his-"

"You take the bed," Sheik interrupted, pointing over to the canopy. "I'll take the chair."

"I don't think so. You need the rest more than I do."

His posture changed dramatically, back from servant to traveler. I could see his shoulders slump slightly, the muscles in his legs loosen, and his eyes become softer.

"We both need rest. Perhaps…" His voice trailed off.

"Perhaps what?"

"Nothing. Stupid suggestion."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Sheik debated in his head for a moment. Then, "The captain has quite spacious accommodations. They can surely fit two comfortably." Simple, and yet unrevealing, characteristic of the Sheikah.

I chuckled a little. "Did you just ask me to bed with you?" Sheik's fist flew with such speed, I hardly noticed until I felt his swift jab to my upper arm, sending a spasm down to my fingers.

"Like I said, stupid suggestion."

I smiled again. "Sometimes you can be a real git, you know?"

"I do."

"And who said that it was a stupid suggestion? It seems logical enough." Something deep inside me generated a massive wave of what felt like gratitude toward him. Perhaps it wasn't gratitude at all.

We enjoyed our meal in peace, telling stories of old and new. After, we prepared for bed. It seemed just a little awkward, but neither of us said anything. I shed my tunic and boots, placing them outside the door, knowing the servants would pick it up, clean it, and have it returned before we awoke. As I closed the door, a flapping cloth flew over my head, landing on top of the pile of clothing. I looked down and recognized it as Sheik's leotard. I felt myself blush; I was pretty sure Sheik didn't wear anything under it. Turning slowly, my eyes found him, his front turned toward me. I felt my face drain slowly when I saw that he was wearing a white towel around his hips, going down past his knees. He didn't seem to notice my stare. His slender upper body and chest were exposed, as well as his legs beneath the towel, all well toned. He almost didn't fit into being a man, his body looked too delicate. Course, if I said that to his face, he'd kick my ass all the way across Hyrule to prove me wrong. I began to have a weird, antsy feeling in my stomach, and a little bit lower than that.

Sheik climbed into bed, on the far side. His slight figure took up only a small portion. I climbed in as well, the gap between us enough for two more well-sized people. I looked over at him. He still had his mask on.

"Do you always wear that thing to bed?" I inquired stupidly.

He looked over at me, his deep red eyes catching mine, entrancing me. He didn't say anything.

"You don't need to be so far over. There's plenty of room for us both, don't try to jam yourself in a corner." I slid closer to the center, still looking into his eyes. Slowly, using his thin, sinewy arms, he lifted his nearly naked body and moved in some. He was close enough, I could feel the heat radiating off his skin.

And there I lay, wondering what he was thinking.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

I awoke the next morning, and for a few moments I believed I was still dreaming. I opened my eyes to find a curled up tangle of fingers upon my chest. Tracing the calloused digits back down their wrist and muscled arm, to find the still sleeping figure of Sheik, lying peacefully on his side. His shoulder raised and lowered rhythmically with his breathing, his hood had shifted slightly during the night to expose his golden hair. Unable to resist what I thought to be a harmless temptation, I reached over and stroked my fingers through the soft yellow strands.

I never seem to have learned one very simple and yet crucial lesson: never touch a sleeping Sheikah. Without so much as a breath to betray the fact he had awoken, Sheik had retracted his hand from upon my chest and gripped my wrist in such a way that had pinched the nerves and tendons, forcing my fingers to extend open with the sting of a Hylian Lake wasp. The next moment, the vice-like grip softened until my arm regained feeling with a twinge. His scarlet eyes glistened in the early morning sunlight peeping through the slit in the curtains.

"Good morning to you too," I managed to stammer. His eyes were sharp as his knives that lay on the floor next to the bed. He removed his hand from my wrist and propped himself up on his arms, exposing his still bare body. His muscles rippled as he stretched his entire body, reminding me of a curled up cat rousing from slumber. I could do naught but stare at Sheik's supple figure as it twisted and curled in some of the most exotic poses that I had ever imagined him in. I felt a peculiar sensation from deep inside me. "Did you sleep well?"

"Moreso than I have in a long time." He proceeded to throw off the bedspread and stood up facing me, and only then did I realize that the towel he had wrapped around his hips had jostled off in the night. I felt my face redden as though it might burst, catching a glimpse of the Sheikah I had never seen before.

Sheik became aware at nearly the same moment as I. He promptly found the towel in the covers and draped it back around his waist, then looked over at me. I think he smiled underneath his hood. I averted my gaze so I would not have to meet his eyes. I'd have probably said something very stupid had it not been so.

"Perhaps it was because you had the chance to lay in an actual bed, rather than sitting down on the hard floor," I offered, trying to change the subject.

"Perhaps," he replied, moving toward the door. "Maybe it was because there are none who wish to harm either of us nearby." He undid the deadbolt and swung open the door. Laying there were our clothes, cleaned and folded in a neat little pile by the servants. He picked them up, and tossed the green tunic and pants on top over to me. The clothes opened up a little, and floated down onto the bed beside me. "I think I'll have a bath before we leave. Care to join me?"

"Sounds like a splendid idea."

***

The Kingdom's public baths were deserted, ever since Zelda declared them as property of the castle and threatened trespassers with severe punishment. The large building that housed them had no roof anymore since it had caved in during the dark ages, but was not the least bit tarnished as a spectacle. The walls stood, elegant carved marble with intricate depictions of events long past. The baths themselves had been designed by the Zora, flowing lightly from one end to the other to avoid leaving the water stagnant. Stemming from an underground well that was situated deep down in Death Mountain, the water steamed pleasantly, creating a humid and enjoyably misty atmosphere. The early morning sun leisurely crawled down the far wall as the sun rose higher to the sky.

Sheik was already in the water when I had arrived; I had to change and fetch an extra towel from the apodyterium. His own towel was lying on the floor next to the bath, his head barely visible above the steaming waterline. From what I could see, he still had his hood on and closed his eyes. I shuffled over to the pool, careful not to stumble on the slippery stone tiling.

"Do you never take that thing off?"

"Rarely," he replied curtly. I began to think long and hard if I had ever seen his entire head, finally coming to the conclusion that such had never been. Sitting slowly down on the brim of the bath, I quickly slid the towel off and plunged into the water with a slight splash. His eyes fluttered open for a moment as I entered the water, and then shut lightly once again.

The water was hotter than I remembered it. Perhaps the Gorons had done something to the flow of water from the mountain. It warmed every inch of the body, a wondrous feeling. A thousand sunlights beating down in a desert. Relaxing, it made one lighter than air.

I waded over to Sheik, who submerged his head into the steam-clouded water. Somehow, I knew he wasn't going to come back up in the same spot. No, he'd play a game first. I rarely won at these games, but they were Sheik's form of expression. Little bits and pieces to supply his feline playfulness. I fell low in the water, waiting for him to pounce from the depths. Not even a bubble to tell where he could be, might as well be facing a Zora in the water.

I heard only a drip. I turned my head. "Holy shit, you're a ninja."

Sheik was standing directly behind me, his head over my shoulder and his face next to mine. "Did you expect anything less?"

"I suppose not. That's something I really wouldn't want to face. Ganondorf, meh. Sea ninjas? Find a new hero, I'm on vacation."

"Some Hero of Time you turn out to be."

"I got the sword, didn't I? That should count for something. I opened the Temple of Time, saved the seven sages, all that."

Sheik's eyes flared. He pulled his arm around me, yanking me down so his face was next to my ear. "YOU?!"

"What?"

"Who the hell TOLD you about that stuff, huh?"

"Hey, I didn't say I did it ALONE, did I? I'm giving you credit where credit is due. You and that harp. Do you still have that thing?"

His eyes clouded over slightly. "No, it was destroyed."

"When? Why?"

"The Queens decree of confiscation of musical instruments in the castle. She did not approve of the amount of pointless music that distracted those playing, losing valuable time."

I sighed, looking into the water. "It's kind of ironic, I think. The very person who gave me the instrument of the gods, and taught me the Song of Time. How long ago that was indeed."

I then realized something. Sheik was pulled right up beside me, unclothed. I wonder if it had been intentional of him. His muscles rippled along my back in a peculiar wave-like motion as he breathed. I wasn't sure if the warmth I felt was from the water or him. Something particularly hot brushed against my upper leg.

I tilted my head against his, the soaked fabric of the mask sagging against his facial features. "It'll be alright. I'll have the Kokiri make you a new one when we get back."

Sheik sighed gratefully. "You don't have to."

"I know I don't. But I want to, just for you." His arms tightened slightly around my chest, a thankful hug as he nuzzled me with his head. I smiled. "Just try not to break my arm off again, ok?"

"That was your fault."

"Psh."

He let go, and pulled away. "I think it's about time to leave. We have a long way to go until Lake Hylia." He turned his gaze to the sky, the sun beginning to peek over the walltop. "It is late."

"Aye."

Sheik waded over to the corner of the pool and hoisted himself out, slender stature glistening as the water rolled off his ginger skin. Amazing, he managed to retain such a tan when this was one of the very few times I saw him without a shirt, much less completely naked. I felt very pale compared to him. I watched as he stood up, my eyes fixed upon his sparkling body.

"See something you like?" Apparently I was being quite obvious.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Well then, perhaps if you're a good boy and do your chores, you'll get to play with your toys."

My pointed ears perked up. "Do these toys play back?"

"You'd best be careful. These playthings sometimes like to play rough."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. It comforts me to know that they won't break."

Sheik grabbed his towel and again wrapped it around his bare waist, leaving me wanting for more. I followed suit, this time it was Sheik's turn to watch. His ruby eyes examined me as I pulled myself out of the water. I looked around for the towel I had brought, but was unable to find it. The water steamed away, and I realized that Sheik was holding my towel in his hand.

"Goddamit, give me that. I'm getting cold."

"I'll give it back when I've had my fun."

"Fuck you."

"Is that a promise?"

***

We were off before midday. Sheik had procured the finest stallion in the castle stables. It was black as the midnight sky, with a single slash of grey down its left side. Epona seemed to like him.

The journey was smooth, albeit a little slower than I had expected. Time just seemed to slip away, the sun sinking into the far mountains as we rode ever closer to the lake. The horses plodded along the ground in matching step, as if they were physically in sync.

"There are still a few leagues to go. Perhaps we shall set up camp for tonight?" suggested Sheik as the sun danced along the horizon, casting dark shadows over the land.

"The sun sets in about ten minutes, and there will still be enough light to see for another ten. There isn't much of a camp to set up, so we'll break then."

"Let's make a dash of it, then. The horses must be getting bored." With that, Sheik whipped the reigns of the stallion. The horse, eager for some real exercise, jumped immediately into a sprint.

Epona turned her head, and enthusiastically entered the competition. Her ears flattened back as she broke into a gallop, easily catching her competition. She was not a bred warhorse, and she would be DAMNED if one beat her in a race. The wind whipped through my hair as though a tornado had touched down around Epona, passing Sheik and his steed as they raced along.

Eventually, both slowed as the sky faded into black, the red orb now completely fallen from view. The distance closed as Epona came to a stop.

"I'm surprised Ingo even came close to beating you two."

"He was cheating."

We both dismounted, and the horses promptly plopped themselves onto the grass. I opened the sack that had been prepared for the journey and pulled out a small bundle of dried wood and a flint. As I arranged a small fire, Sheik took the flint and produced a formidable spark with his knife, the fuzzy cotton tinder catching immediately. The sticks crackled into a blaze.

The temperature dropped as the night grew deep. I lay up against Epona while Sheik heated the rations he had expertly acquired while the chefs weren't looking. He was always a better cook than I.

"You would put a wife to shame. If you ever do get married, I'm sure that she would be very happy to learn that you could make the meals," I commented as he handed me a small metal plate full of what seemed to be a steaming stew. I proceeded to stuff my face, if a little impolitely.

"Perhaps he already knows."

"What?" I looked up from the plate, not exactly sure what I had just heard.

"Nothing." He lowered the bottom flap of his mask just enough so he could spoon some of the stew to his mouth.

When the meal was finished, I prepared for sleep. The long day's ride was something I had yet to get used to again. I had become lazy since the defeat of the Black King.

I took off my hat and, for lack of a better place to put it, placed it on Epona's head. Her eyes opened, and she turned to look at me as if to say '_you jerk_'. I smiled at her as she shook her head. The hat stayed firmly in place. She laid her head back down and closed her eyes once more, not caring enough to try to unseat it again. She looked kind of goofy, the pointed green hat hanging off to the side.

I looked across the fire at Sheik, who was sitting cross-legged, staring deep into the embers.

"Sleeping like that isn't good for your back."

His thoughtful gaze turned to me. "And you have pointy ears. What of it?"

"I'm just saying you could relax just a little bit more. Sleep against your horse or something."

"His fur is short and prickly. It makes me itch."

"Well, then sleep against Epona."

I thought I heard a chuckle. "Now it is you who is asking me to bed."

"I didn't mean it like that. She won't mind, she's already asleep."

"Do you insist?"

I paused for a moment, wondering what he was thinking. "Yes, I do."

"Alright then." He stood up soundlessly, and stepped over the fire. A small pop sent an ember flying through the air upwards, aimed almost purposefully at his face. He deftly caught the spark in his palm, batting it away as if it were an annoying insect. He sat next to me, nearer Epona's flank. He settled in against her body.

"See? So much better."

"If you say so."

"You know its better."

"I do, but I debate whether it's because of the horse."

"You'd rather sleep on a rock, then?"

The next few moments were a sort of blur. I had been staring into the fire, watching the flames dance in a completely disordered and yet strangely beautiful manner to a melody that was nothing but a cacophony of sparks and crackles. I felt a push at the back of my skull, twisting my entire head to the side. I found there Sheik's face, his arm placed around my neck. I felt his fingers running through my hair. His other hand was moving up to his mask, tugging it aside.

"Only if you're there," he whispered. The mask fell away from his mouth, his smooth, beautiful face exposed. I felt his hand pull me closer, and I did absolutely nothing to stop him.

His eyes locked with mine as his face drew nearer. I could feel his breath on my cheek, warm and moist. He paused for only the smallest perceivable fraction of a second, and then planted his face against mine.

I felt his soft lips as they met my own, and time began to break down. My jaw opened automatically as I felt his kiss. The strangest sensation welled up from within me. His head tilted, his mouth open. Instinctually, my tongue drove past my lips. I felt his row of straight, polished-stone-smooth teeth scrape gently along the top, allowing my intrusion to pass. His own muscle, strong yet soft, rushed out to greet mine. I tasted the remnants of the stew as our tongues waltzed. My sight became unattached, I could only feel him. He began to explore my mouth, probing curiously at this new cave of wonders. I returned in time, licking around everything within reach. I swallowed hard, feeling his saliva slide down my throat. My hair fell into my eyes, or perhaps it was his. Perhaps there was none at all, I didn't care either way.

After what seemed to be a lifetime that ended all too soon, his grip loosened around my hair, releasing me. I felt his clement affection leave my mouth, leaving me with an intense yearning. My vision returned, still fuzzy and blurred. His eyes were the most brilliant shade of crimson ever to be seen. Those two rubies, so intense in their nature and yet, behind them, softness on a scale none could fathom could exist in a figure known throughout the kingdom as the Queen's attack dog.

"Will you be my rock?" he asked, leaning with his hands on my shoulder.

"A stone that will last with you a thousand years."

"A shining diamond, then."

"Glistening in the sun that is you." My fingers briefly brushed his cheek, and pulled his mask back up. "Just don't catch cold."

We fell asleep together.

The next morning, I awoke to Epona nuzzling the side of my head. The sun was still below the horizon, but had begun to illuminate the clouds along Death Mountain. Birds chirped as they

I looked down to see Sheik still sleeping, face still buried in my shoulder. I decided to try my luck once again, fearing for the worst. The leather gauntlet would save my arm from his clasp. My fingers slid carefully through the golden hair under the hood as I prepared for the wrenching pain.

It didn't come. The malleable strands gave way to my touch, his scalp twitching slightly. His breathing began to rattle rhythmically. I was a little surprised that the Queen's dog purred like a cat. He was too cute.

His eyes cracked open as he continued to purr. He seemed quite content, as a cat very well would snuggled up against its owner.

"Good morning, sunshine," I whispered.

"Five more minutes."

Epona nudged me again. "She's getting impatient."

"Fine," he whined.

***

We were off before the sun peeked over the mountains. The lake was in sight before noon, and we were standing on the very island that served as the entrance to the Water Temple within a couple hours.

"You think this is it?" Sheik inquired, not altogether enthused about going under a lake.

"Aww, is the kitty afraid of water?" I joked.

"No, I'm just not exactly sure that exploring ruins thousands of years old is the most brilliant idea when they happened to be situated underneath several hundred thousand tons of water. But that's just me."

"It was fine when I was here last."

"That was when the temple was still alive and active. It's been dead for almost two years now?"

"Tch. You worry too much."

"Perhaps you just worry too little."

I heard Epona neigh from across the water where we had left the horses. "Best get going. Faster we get this done, faster we see if I'm right."

The temple was quite a bit different from when I last had entered. The sense of foreboding did not permeate the air as it had years ago. It had been replaced by the scent of grime and rot, the stench of stagnant water abounded. While plants abounded, with weeds poking through every crack and stone, there were no signs of animal life. No monsters patrolling the grand vestibule, not even mosquitoes that would normally be found in such an environment.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember the path that I had taken those many months ago. For a moment, I felt the strange pang of loss, and I couldn't quite place my finger on it. After a moment's consideration, I found it to be the absence of Navi over my shoulder, acting as a sort of compass.

_What did she say…_ I tried to recollect, hoping to summon up memory of the temple.

We had gone down the hallway at the far end of the atrium, down and down. The lowest level, if I remembered correctly.

"This way," I supposed out loud, taking a half-hearted step across the moss-caked ground. "I think it was the basement."

"You're so reassuring," Sheik hissed, not impressed with my uninspiring memory.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I KNOW it's this way. I remember because Navi thought we should explore it before we fought that big jelly-thing. I just wanted to get out of here; I was running out of equipment. I wanted to make sure I had as many arrows as I could manage."

He nodded in approval. "Better."

"Glad you think so."

And so it was decided. My footsteps echoed off the walls, while Sheik trod without any hint of sound. The archway, formidable and made of dark black granite, gave way to a giant spiral staircase that spun its way out of sight. I groaned, remembering the whole ordeal of making it through the traps and maze of passageways that made up the temple. Fortunately, the traps had been disengaged, all the switches switched, every enemy slain, and there was nothing left but the long, long, LONG trek down the staircase. Yipee. I had hoped to never see these steps again, and yet here I was.

After a particularly dizzying descent, passing the corridors and halls and secret rooms and who knows what else, we reached the very bottom platform. In front of us, there stood another portico, with another hall that branched off to the left. This is what we had come for. The archway that stood at the end of the room stood ominously, the door still shut tight, as it seemed to have remained since the beginning of time.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

As we two stepped through that door, we had no idea that behind it was something that would change us both forever.

Sheik slowly traced the ornate inscriptions on the door, as if it told a story of what was behind it. Always cautious to the point of paranoia, Sheik would never just open a door like a regular person. His eyes followed the twisted runes, trying to make sense of the dilapidated archway. Eventually, the ragged characters proved too marred to be comprehensible, and Sheik stood up. I put my hand on the door, and Sheik followed suit, albeit with his characteristic caution. We both pushed on the giant brass door, and held our breaths for what was inside.

The door opened with surprising ease, as if it had been oiled just for us. Preposterous, yes, as the temple hadn't been entered in a thousand years, but it sure didn't seem seemed that way. Almost as though someone was waiting inside…

Sheik picked up on it instantly. I could feel him tense as we walked side by side through the archway, his mind almost buzzing out loud as it raced for a solution. It was always this way with him, so I tried not to think too hard about it.

Maybe I should have.

As the door opened wide, it seemed almost as though another dimension had opened as well. Inside, faint blue scenery traveled as far as the eye could see. Slowly, I put a single foot in the doorway, and almost immediately felt myself being pulled away backwards. For a moment, I though the world on the other side of the door was pulling me away from the temple. However, otherworldly fishhooks don't usually grab people around the chest and yank back viciously, and I realized it was Sheik pulling me away from the door. I tilted my head back and looked into his eyes, and he was clearly not pleased.

"Do you have any idea what's on the other side of that door?" he asked in an oddly calm voice, almost bored with a hint of sarcasm.

"Haven't a clue."

"Well, do you really think it's a good idea stepping though a magically sealed door into who knows what?" This time he sounded a little more scolding.

"Come on, Sheik, it can't be THAT bad. Look," I pointed to my old leather boot, still on my foot.

Sheik didn't seem amused. "Yes, it's a boot. You're point is?"

"The point is my foot is still there. If the door was trapped, I'd probably be cursed or something."

I could see Sheiks face form a slight scowl, even behind the face wrap. Not that he was angry, but he had realized that I was right.

"Are you always so reckless?"

I smiled. "I think it balances out your obsession with caution quite well." He let go of me, his arms sliding away.

"I'm not obsessed…" Sheik started, a little timidly.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Sure," I remarked as I led him into the room.

I could feel him shiver in discomfort when we passed through the door. Inside, the room seemed to be covered into a light fog, but enough to show the outline of the scenery… had there really been any. The entire room seemed to stretch out in every direction, for miles and miles, all the way into the horizon. The door closed quietly behind us, as if by itself.

I looked up and noticed something unsettling. The sky seemed to not really be there at all. There was no sun, and yet everything seemed to be lit up from above, which appeared to be an endless void emanating a faint blue light from nowhere in particular.

"Are we outside?" I mumbled, more to myself than anything.

"No… we're not outside… We're not even in Hyrule." Sheik said this with such intensity, I let him go immediately.

"What're you talking about?" I pressed, not expecting such a statement.

"Look behind you, what do you see?"

I turned around, expecting to see the doorway to have disappeared. Puzzlingly, the archway was still there, the large brass door fitting tightly in it.

"The door. So what?" Sheik was beginning to look around into the vast blue expanse of nothingness that lay before him. I inspected the arch, trying to figure out what he meant, but it was just a lone arch, not remarkable in any way…

…and nothing else.

My mind screeched to a halt for a second as I realized that, if we had indeed stepped outside, there should be an enormous temple attached to this archway. However, the door stood alone, as if someone had mysteriously put up the gateway in the middle of the giant field that they now stood in. No walls surrounded the stone arch, as if it had no purpose. I took a step to the left to see what was on the other side, where the temple had been a second before. It was just more fog with a faint, bluish white tinge going on forever. I turned back to Sheik.

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"And we're not alone." Again, Sheik was speaking in riddles. "Do you hear that?"

I turned my head up, listening, and almost instantly I heard the faintest sounds of an echo, an Ocarina being played in the distance.

For a second, he was transported back to the Hidden Meadow in the Lost Woods. He remembered how he had heard an Ocarina playing over the quiet of the forest. He followed the song until it had led him to Saria, who had been playing.

I looked over to where Sheik was staring, and saw the outline of a large, twisted tree off in the fog.

"I think its from over there," Sheik whispered.

We approached slowly, unsure of what could possibly be out in the middle of nothing playing an ocarina. The fog became slightly less thick and the notes played louder. The tree loomed shortly up ahead, and the branches became a little less clouded.

I stopped short, looking up at the higher branches. About a third of the way up, I saw the outline of a person perched on a thick limb. From the build, it was probably a male. Nothing else could really be seen, as the fog distorted the man too much. Sheik instinctually let his hands rest of the handles of his blades.

We both watched as the dark figure slowly slid out of the tree, landing on its feet. The ghostly music of the ocarina had ceased, and there was an eerie silence. Slowly, the figure lifted a foot and took a step toward us.

This time, both of us tensed. A figure so dark and foreboding wasn't going to invite us to lunch. The slightest noise alerted me that Sheik had unsheathed his knives and was fully ready to go at the slightest provocation. I followed suit, and reached for my sword.

Lethargically, the man approached, every step seeming to echo, even without walls to echo off of.

It took what seemed like hours for the dark figure to close the distance to within speaking distance. The fog clouded his features, not allowing for any sort of identification. Not that it'd really matter; neither I nor Sheik had probably ever seen this guy before.

Then again…

A hollow voice, almost as if from beyond the grave, called out.

"You are not here."

As if the situation could get any more confusing, the guy was speaking in cryptic messages. Sheik was the first to respond.

"Who are you?" he called in return. For a moment, there was no response.

"You know who I am. You're both His, aren't you?" The man's voice sounded like it had been out of use for a very long time, the air rasping as it sprang from his mouth. And yet, it seemed almost familiar…

"I am Sheik, of the Sheikah. I belong to no man." His voice was crystal clear, obviously trying to avoid a misunderstanding. "Who are you?"

"You think you can lock me in here forever, do you?" the ghastly outline called back, sounding a little aggravated. "You left me in here to rot for all of eternity. Well, you'll just have to rot here beside me."

The dull sound of a drawn sword echoed through the chamber. This was not looking too good.

"You robbed me of my life. And now, I shall rob you both of yours. Let's see what your master thinks of that."

Sheik this time stayed silent. More words would only provoke this man further.

A faint scuffing of boots was all that could be heard before reality seemed to crack.

The figure leaped into the air with amazing grace, launching itself towards us through the fog. A flash of silver lashed out through the atmosphere, as if slicing the air itself. A second's slower reaction would have left me headless, but I managed to block the blow, the blade glancing off my shield with a spark.

The figure rushed past us, skidding to a halt. His back was clearly visible. The man wore a tunic much like mine, except his was a dark, faded black. He faintly resembled someone I had seen before.

The man started to turn, and with a look of horror I saw the face, pallid from living in such a place, on the figure before me. Two dark red eyes burned with intensity like torches, his face almost lit up by them. The face… was my own.

Both Sheik and I gasped simultaneously as we gazed fixed on the face, half in wonder of how this man looked exactly like me, half in preparing for his next attack.

"He sent you to torture me again, didn't he?" the shadowy clone in front of us asked in a hiss. An underlying anger so profound it was clearly out of pure insanity radiated out of those fire-filled eyes. The sense this dark figure seemed to be thinking along didn't match with the reality of the situation, making this encounter all the more dangerous.

The dark Link copy stood crouched lightly, ready to strike again, the tip of his gleaming sword scratching against the ground.

I decided to try to diffuse the situation, knowing that my next words could quite possibly set him off, so I had to choose carefully.

"We are not here to hurt you. We are here on the telling of a prophecy." A sudden thought struck me, and I hesitantly added, "Who is this 'He' you're speaking of?"

Apparently, I asked the wrong question. I noticed Sheik cast a fleeting, dark glance towards me, quickly followed by the dark figures hissing voice seeming to fill the very air around us.

"You have learned well from your dark lord. It almost seems as though your words are true." An airy, short snicker sent a chill up my spine, causing my hair to stand up on end. I watched those glaring red eyes, as though they could bore straight into a soul…

"But I have heard enough of his lies and trickery. You are going to end just like the others." The flaming eyes narrowed. "Maybe Ganon will get the message after I destroy you."

With grace comparable to that of a Sheikah master, my dark self lunged directly at Sheik. Such speed could have overcome a lesser warrior, but Sheik quickly evaded the attack, almost dancing around the blade that whistled through the air where his head had been a mere second before.

"Too slow," hissed the apparition with a glee that could only be brought on by bloodlust. He twisted in midair, his wrist snapping downward, bringing with it the silver blade. A momentary look in Sheiks eyes was that of something I rarely saw: Surprise. This adversary was well trained with a sword.

Before the razor cleaved his head in two, Sheik quickly raised his own dagger, blocking the strike with a resounding clash, sending both of the combatants reeling in opposite directions.

_Could this thing really be one of the remnants of Ganon's horde? _

As Sheik leapt to his feet, I quickly realized that this "thing" wasn't going down without a fight, and one hell of a fight at that.

The figure was almost invisible in the fog, the dark outline standing still. Just enough to secure it's location.

_Perfect._

Without hesitation, I reached under my shield and pulled out my bow. From the quiver strung across my back, I took an arrow quickly, knocked it, and paused for careful aim. With a sudden twang, my fingers released the string, propelling the arrow straight at the faint outline.

The arrow found its target with a small, sickening sound of piercing flesh.

Sheik took the opportunity to take a few long sidesteps, unsure of the state of the shadow that still loomed just ahead.

"Now," said Sheik.

Obeying the attack command, I jolted into a short sprint; blade held high again, ready to run through the wounded opponent.

Through the mist, we could both see the figure approaching, matching our pace.

Within an instant, a blade lashed out from the fog, expertly deflected by one of the daggers from the tensed body next to me, and Sheik quickly took the opportunity to slice at the abdomen of his enemy.

I brought my blade down towards the neck of my shadow clone, fully expecting for him to fall under the double attack.

But it was far from over. Instead of a soft, crunching sound of a spine being carved clean through, my entire arm reverberated as my sword hit hard metal of the shield which had appeared seemingly from nowhere. I was stunned for a moment, those two deep red eyes locked against mine. I saw little emotion behind them, except for an unruly determination coupled with indescribable hate. To be honest, I was a little scared that any sort of creature could be so far gone.

The figure reeled backwards as Sheik's blade flashed, and a splash of what seemed to be blood sprang though the air. We took the opportunity to retreat a fathom or so, just out of attack range.

Panting, I lowered my blade and looked at the figure, now quite clear in every detail due to proximity. It was almost like looking into a mirror… and I saw that an arrow protruded out of the very center of the chest of the reflection, dark black blood trailing down the front of his tunic. A little further down, the strike from Sheik's blade left a large gash across the stomach, dripping with an even greater intensity, the ragged shirt ripped open to expose the pallor of his body.

Even with such evident injury, the furious eyes never betrayed even a twinge of pain. They merely gazed down the body they were attached to, as if looking at a picture.

A moment later, the dark Link started to shudder, almost as if a sign of forfeit. But instead, he drew his head up and laughed in a sinister crow. His hand snaked up to his chest and fingered the shaft protruding from his chest, clamped down with a tight grip, and with one swift motion, snapped it off. His hollow voice grew louder as the splintered remains of the arrow fell from his fingers.

_Oh shit._

Obviously, Sheik had the same thought. He turned his head toward me, without taking his eyes off the cackling shadow.

"We should run."

Never did I think I would ever hear those words ever leave those lips, but that day, most things had stopped surprising me, no matter how impossible it seemed.

Sheik urgently explained further, "His insanity won't let him die." The laughing started to subside slowly. "This is nothing like anything we've ever seen before."

I realized the truth in his words. I whispered back to him, "This is the last of Ganon's work. Only He could have created a copy of me."

Sheik seemed to agree, even if he did not voice it. There were far more pressing matters at hand.

I noticed that the shadow had stopped laughing, but still had a twisted, evil smile on his face. Slowly, he began to approach. At the same rate, Sheik and I backed away, up against the tree that he had been perching in what had only been a few minutes ago. The marred bark was sharp and scaly, like a serpentine monster frozen in time. Instantly, I had a faint idea.

"Stop," I whispered to Sheik, who froze on the spot.

I shifted my weight, waiting for the strike. It felt weird to watch a reflection of myself moving when I did not. Those eyes burned brighter and fiercer than ever, ready for the kill.

Finally, it came. With a pounce, the dark figure was upon us, sword lashing out. I took a slight sidestep as Sheik countered with his own daggers. I pulled my blade back, only to have it deflected by the shadow. Slightly off balance, I felt a sharp pain well up in my chest as I felt a ghastly knee plant itself directly into my sternum, lifting me off my feet and onto my back, spread across the ground. My grip on the Master sword weakened, almost dropping the sacred steel. The wind left my body, mind going blank for a moment, darkness overcoming my vision. All energy seemed to leave me, my senses nearly unresponsive for a few moments. I barely noticed faintly as a cool, smooth surface was placed on my throat.

_Killed by my own shadow._

My sight sharpened suddenly, as I saw my own face peering back at me, the clone crouching over me, ready to end my life. My body tensed, but the pressure of the metal lifted suddenly, as if by magic. I looked up, to see the figure grasping the leg of Sheik, who had lunged with a lethally aimed kick. Those two burning eyes were turned away, concentrating on the Sheikah.

I felt my blade in my hand, and realized this was the chance. In an instant, I raised the blade, pointing it directly upwards toward the chest of my shadow. With one sharp thrust, the Master sword sank deep into the body.

Revitalized, I continued to push upwards, the blade piercing all the way through his chest. As it emerged out of his back, deep black ichor began to drip down onto me.

I lifted the body upwards, impaling it thoroughly. I struggled to my feet, my hands never leaving the hilt. The hollow voice screamed, but a lack of agony and a surplus of anger cued me to twist the blade.

Sickening crunches and shattering bones emanated from within him. With one final thrust, I launched the impaled body toward the dead, twisted tree, the blade sinking deep into the wood, pinning him to the plant.

Instantly, the body went limp. With a final gasp, I stared directly into those deep eyes. The fire seemed to leave them, death finally overtaking the madman.

It was done.

I took a step back, gasping for air. Sheik approached from behind, breathing equally hard.

"Is he…. dead?" he inquired, sheathing his daggers at his sides.

"He sure better be."

"Are you alright?"

A delicate hand pressed against my chest, where the shadow had struck me. His hand was warm, and I could feel Sheik's pulse coursing through his fingers. It was quite comfortable.

"Yeah, I'll be alright. Him, though," I motioned towards the body pinned against the tree, "I'm not so sure about."

Sheik went over and inspected the body for some time, checking to make absolutely sure that it was, in fact, deceased.

Finally, satisfied, he kneeled. I decided to retrieve my sword from the midriff of the creature. The blade slid slowly out, covered in what appeared to be blood, but thick and black as tar.

Removing the final inches of the blade from the dark figure, it was clear that it was not blood. As it came into contact with the air, the black ichor began to steam, creating a light fog about the Master sword. The body fell to the ground as gracefully as a brick, and stayed down.

"Well, I guess you killed him."

I looked back at the doppelganger that indeed showed no signs of life, then back at Sheik.

"Does that mean I just committed suicide?" I said with a smile. Sheik's eyes closed for a second, and I heard what sounded like a slight chuckle from behind the face wrap. Just a small little laugh, but it caught me off guard nonetheless. I suppose that I was staring in awe, because as soon as it had started, it had ceased.

"What?" asked Sheik. I guess I really had been staring.

"Nothing," I began. "It's just, I've never really heard you laugh before." This was met by a slight pause in the conversation before I added: "You should try it more often."

"Don't count on it."

Oh well, back to grumpy old Sheik again.

My eyes fell again to the body at the base of the tree. Like many of Ganon's creatures, it had begun to dematerialize rapidly, transferring into a thin black smoke that mingled seamlessly with the fog.

Eventually, all that was left was a small dark cloud looming in the air. It circulated around, like a miniature storm front, congealing into a denser, deep grey fog.

I turned my back on it to look back at Sheik, but instantly twisted back around when I saw a look of disbelief in his eyes.

The darkened cloud had sank to the ground, the shadow reappearing exactly how it had been left, spread eagled face down. Everything was how it had been left, except…

The large hole that had been between his shoulders was gone. The muscular back was rising and falling rhythmically as the final fumes added themselves, creating a whole figure again.

_Oh SHIT._

Sheik gasped behind me as the figure's arms began to move again, pushing himself up to his knees. The fingers grasped the hilt of his sword, pushing the tip into the ground, giving the body much needed stability. As though awakening from a sleep of a thousand years, the doppelganger once again stood at his full stature.

But he was different. Before, the posture had been one that conveyed control and overwhelming command. Now, his shoulders were slumped, almost hunched. His knees, unlike before, were bent and tired, nearly buckling under the weight.

My own blade was raised for another encounter. I waited until it could be ascertained that such a meeting of swords would in fact happen.

The colorless face looked up, his black hat slightly askew around his pure white hair, and I felt my arm lower.

This was not the same creature. In those deep, red eyes, there was no flame of fury, no spark of madness. There was no blankness, either. The eyes contained something even more surprising than life; the red orbs betrayed a single, lonely tear welling up in the corner.

Sheik had taken a single step forward, not willing to take any sort of chance, but I put my hand out to hold him back.

"He won't hurt us," I whispered. Sheik was not convinced.

"This thing is a minion of Ganon. He'll kill us the second our guards are down, you know that." He said it with a twinge of malice, sinister behind that thin cloth hiding his face.

"Just wait."

Reluctantly, Sheik relaxed his stance and waited, his eyes never leaving the man in front of him.

The diminished figure was looking down at his blade in his hand, almost in disbelief. I couldn't read his expression, but I could tell a thunderstorm was going on behind those glowing eyes. Then, with a clatter, his fingers slackened, and the blade dropped to the ground. A wave of relief washed over me.

Sheathing my blade, I ventured a question.

"Who are you?" I asked in the most sincere, non-provoking voice I could manage.

There was no answer, except for what almost sounded like a whimper. He suddenly sank to his knees, the legs finally crumpling beneath the burden. His head was held low, looking down at the ground, hiding those other-worldly eyes.

"I am nobody," the hoarse voice said to nobody in particular, the tone wavering in what seemed like defeat. "I am merely a shadow. A shade…" the words got caught in his throat. He took a deep breath before finishing, "…of you."

So he HAD noticed the reflection as much as I had.

Sheik started coldly, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why did you attack us." This was not a question, but a demand for an explanation.

The figure tried to look up at us, but couldn't, as if his eyes were locked to the ground in shame or apology, I couldn't tell which.

"Because you were here," he replied tiredly. "I've lost count of how many others have ventured here, and every single one, I have slain." Regret was noticeable in these words.

But something didn't make sense. The temple had been locked by the sages for ages, before Ganondorf's ancestors had even walked Hyrule.

"What others?" I hazarded to ask.

Another sigh, before an explanation. "The others like me… the other abominations of the Black King. The others that were locked away in this place." The wavering voice sounded as if it were on the verge of cracking, ready to burst into crying. Just what had Ganon done to this guy?

The gruff voice of a slightly impatient Sheikah interrupted. "Save your crocodile tears, shadow." I turned my head, staring at Sheik with incredulity of how ignorant he could be of this man's feelings. "Where is this place?"

"This is the lesser domain of the Sacred Realm," the shade replied, barely masking emotion that was ready to rupture. "This is where those who are cast away by the power of the sages are locked away."

Pieces fell into place in my head when I heard this, although the puzzle was still incomplete. "Is that what happened to you?"

"Yes."

"And how long have you been here?"

The eyes looked up at me dimmer than ever, tears glimmering in the faint light. "I can't tell."

_Wow, that long?_

I stepped closer to the shuddering body, having a sort of out-of-body experience.

"Ganon created you?"

"…sort of."

"How do you mean?"

The pallid face scrunched up, searching for a way to explain. "Do you remember the first time you met the black king?"

Sudden flashes in my head brought back the entire scene.

It had been raining, I was standing right across the moat outside the walls of Hyrule Castle. I had only been a child then. The drawbridge had lowered mere moments before, and there had already been a set of galloping hooves rumbled across the wood, racing away from the castle. Through the rain I had barely been able to recognize the princess riding away with her attendant, the Great Impa. Zelda yelled something that was lost in the howling wind, but a petite object was soon soaring through the air, landing with a light _spelunk _in the moat behind me. Before I even had the chance to look what it was, another set of hooves thundered across the bridge.

Riding the black warhorse had been none other than the Gerudo thief lord. The stallion halted upon command of the armored figure aboard.

"Where is it?" the deep, overwhelming voice of Ganon overpowered even the din of the weather.

I had drawn my sword, but the sorcerer found it mildly amusing. A mere child, challenging him? Preposterous. His booming laughter echoed off the walls of the castle, amplifying his already power-laden will. He raised his hand, and a sudden flash filled my vision before all went dark.

_Yes, I remembered very well._

A short snuff brought my mind back to the present. Sheik, obviously unimpressed, seemed itching to slice the shadow's throat out of annoyance.

"

He continued. "That spell he cast upon you… it…" Dark Link struggled, trying to shape out the idea in words. "Ganon… connected with you for a second. He… stole a small part of your soul."

Another flood of the puzzle pieces fell into place, nearly completing the picture.

"That small piece… is what he used to shape me."

Sheik scoffed at the idea, mumbling something about fraud, but a burning in the back of my mind wanted to hear more about this apparition.

He continued when he realized I was listening so intently. "He and his witch-twins realized how powerful your spirit could be if they twisted it with their black enchantments," the shade said, his voice quivering less with every word. "With his triforce of power, Ganon constructed a being exactly like you in every physical way."

Even Sheik began to listen at this point.

"Calling upon the gift of the goddesses, he consummated the most unforgivable of rituals." His flaring eyes turned towards Sheik. "To the Sheikah, it's known as-"

"The Caress of Veylai," Sheik finished the sentence in an astonishment-laced tone. My eyes shifted off the shade for the first time since he had reappeared, only to rest upon the flabbergasted warrior. Obviously, I had missed something.

"The what?" I inquired, with a hint of mindless curiosity I regretted shortly thereafter.

Sheik drew a breath, and closed his eyes.

_Aw crap, this is going to be a LOOONG story._

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

"Din, Farore, and Nayru… the three goddesses that created everything that can be seen no matter how far you may travel. With their powers combined, they forged the very ground upon which we all stand, the air we breathe…. everything. Earth, fire, wind, water, all pieced together gracefully by their divine hands. They had created something that was truly great.

But the Three grew saddened. For billions of years, they watched their planet, unchanging and dead. What they had at first perceived as a great creation was nothing more than a show of raw control over matter.

For eons, they thought and thought of what to do, to give their creation new meaning.

It was Farore, the brave one, that thought of life. Why not create creatures that will change the world, using their own strength and will?

And so, the Three constructed all the plants and animals, setting the entire planet ablaze with an activity never before seen. The fish of the waters, the land-dwellers, all lived in a simple world, where existence was as uncomplicated as survival.

With their all-seeing eyes, they watched. Soon, however, the Three grew restless. Yes, they had given their planet life, but it was anarchy as animals can only understand. No rules or morals, no awareness of more than direct surroundings. The Three fell into a deep state of melancholia.

Nayru, in her infinite wisdom, proposed that there be one creature, unlike the rest. One that could think, plan, and build a civilization where all could work together. A species as perfect as they could shape. After countless millions of years of careful sculpting of this pure being, they finally unveiled their creations silently, casting upon the planet our ancestors.

Thousands of generations ago, long before the kingdom of Hyrule, the entire world was inhabited by hundreds of tribes of these people. In the beginning, they were nomads, hunter-gatherers that were little more than the animals they hunted. Soon, though, the knowledge began to transfer down the generations, and they learned quickly. Development of small settlements sprang up about the globe.

Through years, the goddesses watched and maintained the planet as it grew. The people began to expand their knowledge and stretch farther across the world, much faster then the goddesses had expected. It became evident that they would not be able to maintain everything by themselves as they had for millions of years.

To aide them, they entrusted much of their magic into the rulers of the largest civilization that had been built. Nine of their most prominent scholars, philosophers, scientists, and historians were bequeathed with unimaginable power. They were the first Sages, so to speak. The most powerful, the King, was named Veylai.

Veylai carried a power that the other eight did not. He alone had the powers of life and death. He could kill with nothing more than a thought, but the process of bringing about life was much more complicated, requiring a very specific ritual. Veylai himself feared the magic that he wielded, and refused to meddle in the affairs of the return of life.

But the likes of men were never meant to have this sort of power. Their hearts become skewed in emotion, and such things lead to corruption. Veylai, renowned as the wisest being outside of the Three themselves, was no different.

Veylai, even though blessed by the Three, was indeed human. He had a son, named Ensil. He held little of the power of his father, but was very learned in their functions. Ensil was a fine son. Intelligent, curious, and proud of his father.

But, as the minds of men are easily twisted, Veylai became suspicious. The greater the knowledge, the greater Veyai's paranoia became.

So the wicked King confronted his son after a return from a journey to another kingdom. Not a confrontation of words, or blades. No, it was a confrontation of their souls. In a duel reserved for that of the divine, Veylai in his madness killed his son.

Something snapped in his incredible mind that day. From the moment Ensil's life was taken, Veylai became obsessed with returning it. Being the controller of life and death, he formulated an incredibly elaborate ritual the likes of which had never been seen and haven't been since.

But it came at a cost. The task of bringing back a human life is not as simple as that of bringing back a flower or an insect, even birds and mice. No, the Three had created such an intricate being, none could ever hope to shape by the power of a mortal. It requires unheard of amounts of energy, more than Veylai had to give. His corrupted mind began to sacrifice other beings, accumulating the souls of animals, plants, and men to fuel his craze.

But it was still not enough. Dashing towards a self-destructing abyss, Veylai sought to shed his mortality and become a God above men.

The other eight sages could not help but notice that their king had been led astray. They tried to assail him, but to no effect. They, like all, fell one by one at the hands of the Black King."

The parallels were uncanny. It was as if this monstrosity had been reincarnated into Ganondorf and began again where he had left off.

"The goddesses in their despair and anger set out to rectify their mistake. Din pushed for total destruction of the planet. Farore vied for sapping the life energy out of all beings. But it was Nayru that again prevailed. Her suggestion posted a solution to their problems without unnecessary chaos.

To place a boy born not of man and woman, but of the will of life itself. This boy would bring balance to all things, vanquish the darkness that had befallen the lands. A hero above all others, one never to surpassed for all of eternity. A Hero of Time.

And so the goddesses sent down a child born to the elven clan of what is now known as Hyrule, the Hylians, along with a treasure that could alone cut through evil in all its forms. But this hero was still young, and could do little against the likes of Veylai. He had much to learn.

The goddesses asked the only three remaining of the original nine that had survived the massacre of Veylai to teach the boy. In exchange, they would be granted unnatural long life. The first, Deku, was immortalized as the one you knew as the Great Deku Tree, and was leader of the race of children-beings known as the Kokiri."

Sheik looked over at me, and I was stunned. I had always known that the Tree had been around long before any other alive could remember, but never once had I guessed that it had been one of the first Sages.

"Another was named Kakariko-Garoan, who had been leader of the rock-dwellers, had wished to protect his race from the evils of the world, and as such was wished into the structure of Death Mountain.

The final was the eldest of the fish-lords, Zora. He also wished to stay with his people, and became infused with his pet, named Jabu-Jabu."

My head began to swim in a fog. I had visited these very places in my childhood as the first Hero of Time had so long ago, and never once had any inkling of the historical significances. I felt a little angry I had not learned of this earlier.

"And so it was. The Hero learned in secret, concealed from the ever-seeing eyes of Veylai. Many years passed, and the time had finally come.

Veylai had massacred much of the population and bent them into his mind-slaves, nothing more than zombies that did his bidding. The King had set into motion the ritual he had perfected, and finally had acquired enough energy to bend the very fabrics of reality. He set an intricate pattern of monuments at the four corners of the earth, huge monoliths of stone and marble, infused with magic. The ritual took place in the very geographic center, his palace outside the borders of Hyrule to the north. He summoned the spirits that he had enslaved, pouring all the life energy into a single point. He read from a tome which had been written by his own very hand, and began to summon back Ensil, who he had destroyed that fateful day.

But the Hero confronted Veylai in the most critical part of the ritual. With the treasure that had been passed by the Three, he battled with the Black King and ended the ceremony. Before his final breath was taken, Veylai unleashed an unprecedented attack. The Hero, who was bent down over the impaled figure of the King, received what was technically a blessing. Veylai reached up his hand to the Hero's face, and brushed the cheek of the Hylian. In doing so, Veylai took what was left of his own soul and banished it into the manifestation of the Hero of Time. The badly beaten body of Veylai then perished.

And so was the legend of the Caress of Veylai."

I was flabbergasted as a hundred pieces of a vast, historical puzzle fell quite neatly into place, revealing an eerie picture. One thing was left out, though.

"What happened to the Hero?"

It was the shadow that replied this time, in a much less informative voice that Sheik had been using. "He ascended to the Sacred Realm of the goddesses. In order to make sure such events would never again take place, the powers of the goddesses were locked away into three pieces, one of which you wear upon your hand. The Triforce slipped into a limbo state between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, guarded by the new sages and locked in the Temple of Time, along with the treasure of the Hero. The blade you hold in your hand."

I looked down at the Master Sword in my grip. It had saved Hyrule from the clutches of evil twice, once by my hand, the other at the beginning of time. My eyes returned to the shade.

"Is that what happened to you? Ganondorf used that part of my soul and created you?"

He nodded, his eyes glued to the wispy, damp ground.

It was Sheik who was first to respond. "Well, then there's only one thing to do."

I was curious. "What's that?"

"Kill him."

I have never had a thought of hate towards Sheik until that very moment. As he stepped forward, blades drawn, I stepped between him and the shaking shadow kneeling on the ground. I raised my blade, the very tip a mere inch away from the bridge of Sheik's nose. "You will do no such thing."

The eyes were as sharp as the blade that glinted just before them. "You stand in the way of the Queen's orders?"

"He is not the monster that the Priestess told about."

"What makes you so sure?"

I turned my head to the trembling figure, his head buried in his arms waiting for the strike of the blades across his skull. "He welcomes death. It would be no greater consolation than to end his misery with one final strike."

"Then why will you not answer his wish?"

"I plan to, but not by death." I stooped down next to my shadow, looking hard into the side of his face, tears streaming down the pointed nose. In a slightly quieter tone, I spoke, "I know you are not a monster. If there were any hint of evil that lay within your heart, this sword would have struck you down before. Yet here you are, with a scar to prove your innocence."

I lay my hand upon the nape of his neck gently, to comfort the shuddering alternate. An unwise choice, as it turned out to be. In the length of time it took to blink an eye, an iron-fisted punch collided with my forehead, sending me to the ground. I looked up, dazed, into the flaming eyes of the shade, arm still extended. They were momentarily filled with the same hatred from before, burning their way from his memories. I could tell he was being torn apart from the inside out. In another instant, Sheik had leapt onto the shoulders of my darkened version and planted his face firmly into the hard, cold floor. The black hat flew off his head and landed only a few inches away, while Sheik gripped the exposed silvery hair and pulled it upward, ready to scalp him. The insanity vanished once again, and I had a feeling it would not return so easily again.

"Let him go, Sheik," I commanded, spots still popping in my vision.

"He is a menace, and will kill us both. He deserves nothing more and nothing less."

"Look at his face, and tell me if you can kill him."

Sheik did not look, but simply responded. "I very well can."

"Look."

And so he did. Lowering his eyes to the disabled prey, Sheik searched with hardened eyes. As they scanned the features, something stirred deep inside him. The tears that flowed down the face trickled onto the ground. He did not see an enemy; he could not ignore that it was, in fact, myself. The knife fell from his fingers and clattered to the ground.

"Please… kill me," the shade whimpered. "I have done horrible things against so many. I have angered the gods. You say, I deserve nothing less."

Sheik let go of the man, his head falling forward into the floor once again. His chest heaved in sobs as the warrior came off his back.

"It is broken. There is nothing left."

"Do not refer to him as 'it'," I said sternly.

"Suit yourself." Sheik stalked off back to the tree.

I knelt over the grounded figure. His breathing had become slightly more normal. I placed my hand above his back, as if about to make a kind gesture, but decided against it. He did not like to be touched, the minions of Ganon must have tortured him into submission.

"I am sorry. We cannot fulfill your request. You are innocent, and therefore untouchable."

"You have no mercy, then?" he mumbled into the ground.

"On the contrary. I want to help you learn to love life."

He slowly pushed himself back to his knees. "Am I truly alive?"

"If not, then I couldn't kill you even if I wanted to. Which I do not." The shadow was silent for a moment. "Now, I cannot take back everything that has happened to you. I can't begin to imagine the pain that you have endured. I can only say that much of my life was stolen from me against my will. Seven years in the Sacred Realm, but theres nothing that I can say about it. I was put in a state of suspended reality. You… you have had to endure the loneliness of being trapped. I understand your plight, and I only wish to help you learn to live."

"If I choose that it is not a life worth living?"

"I'll make you a deal. If you come along on our journey with us, and at its end you still think such, Sheik will kill you in the most painless way possible. But you must promise to not make an attempt on your own life until that time, agreed?"

The shade wiped his eyes. If they were bloodshot, I could not tell. There was no white in them, only that peculiar red glow. He took a long breath. "Yes."

"Good. I will do my best to make sure you see the truth." I picked up his hat, and held it in my left hand. With my right, I held it in front of his face to show him that I meant him no harm, much like one would a scared dog that won't allow one to pet it. I then gently replaced his hat on his head, the brim sinking down to his ears over his silver hair. His eyes closed shut tightly, his jaw tensed, and his entire body shivered as I did. It was the twitch that could only result from torture so cruel that most would have bitten their own tongue off to make it end. Who knew, perhaps he had tried and failed. I didn't ask. "It's okay, I will not hurt you. Just relax, you can allow yourself to be cared for."

Sheik was watching, perched in the tree.

"I'm sorry," the shade said.

"Don't apologize, you have memories of things nobody should ever know."

"That's not it. I'm sorry but… your journey ends here."

"What?" I wasn't sure of his words, but they put me again on edge. I gripped the pommel grip of my sword, ready for a reaction.

"There is no way out of this chamber. That door-" He pointed to the archway that stood in the distance, "-cannot be opened from this side. It prevents those who are banished from the plane of mortals from simply walking back out."

"But we weren't banished."

"That doesn't matter. Unless you are summoned back by a divine entity, you will never see Hyrule again."

Sheik, who had been listening to the conversation from afar, slid out from the tree and dashed for the archway door, unable to accept this as true. He flung himself feet first at the stone gates, smashing them open with an echo that resounded through the field.

On the other side, there was nothing but the same foggy blue that surrounded them. Sheik stepped through, appearing out the other side, then strode back through, looking around inquisitively.

_Oh, shit._

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

(Wow… I kinda went overboard on this one. Big warning on this one, gets kinda heavy SxL near the end… Skip it if you don't like that stuff. I'll put an * at a good place you can skip to. Note: WILL happen again. I'll let you know when I write stuff like that, which very well may be MANY of the chapters. Meh. Reviews appreciated. Flaming, I will say, is not.)

Chapter V

_Well, that's not good._

We were trapped, plain and simple. Ensnared for all of eternity in the realm that was forged as a place to banish the wicked; now it would be the final resting place of the Hero of Time. Quite ironic, I should say.

The shadow slumped back. "I was going to tell you before… but I just couldn't bring myself to it."

Sheik climbed over the archway twice, looking furiously for some runes that explained how to get back. Apparently they weren't very helpful, and Sheik soon was sprinting over. He underestimated the traction of the unseen ground and slid a pace upon stopping.

"This is a problem," he had begun before his skid was complete.

"Indeed it is," I replied. I stood up fully, quite confused. I looked down at the dark figure, still crouching, thinking deeply. "….what's your name, by the way?"

I received a look of monolithic bewilderment from the scarlet orbs. "I don't have one."

"You have to have a name. Hey Sheik, what's a good name for him?"

"I'm not part of this conversation."

"Jerk." I thought for a hard moment. "Shadow Link, no… Dark Link…" I took a glace at my twin, staring out into nothingness. His silver hair glistened under his black hat. "Dark."

He looked up from his trance. "If that is what you wish."

Sheik did not appear amused. "There are bigger problems right now, Link."

"Bringing me to my next point. What has to happen for it to work the other way?"

"The permission of the goddesses must be granted," Dark said, not exactly sure what use it was.

"How would one go about doing that?" I pressed further, hoping to find something that might be of use.

"Hope that someone a connection to the gods chooses to help you. Sages would work."

"Well, Zelda will surely notice us missing eventually, no?"

"Forgetting something, Link?" Sheik suggested. "I'd much rather be out of here before the Queen has to perform a summoning ritual. It could take weeks, months, years until she even realized that we're missing."

"Well then, tell me what you're thinking rather than trying to torture it out of me."

Sheik grabbed my wrist at my side, and without the slightest hint of his plans, began leading me like a horse over to the archway.

"Read the runes."

"What the hell, Sheik."

His eyes flashed, almost purple in the dull blue light. "Read."

I couldn't help but mentally compliment the intricacy of the carvings. Thousands of scrawling figures twisted every which way, creating a very confusing pattern of writing. I managed to find the beginning, denoted by a particularly large character.

"Locked away in time, yadda yadda… seal of the sages, power of gods… et cetera. What about it?"

"Keep going."

"… given Power, Courage, and Wisdom… to be released only by the very blessings of Din, Farore, and Nayru." I began to understand. I looked at my hand, still clutched in Sheik's grip. The golden triangle had begun to glow faintly. "I get it now… blessing of the goddesses. The triforce, right?"

"You have the very gift of Courage. Your will should be able to reverse the seal."

Dark had gotten to his feet. He looked back at the twisted tree and froze, recalling the years he had spent here. It was time that he be given another chance, I thought.

"You sure?" I whispered, as though Dark would hear me.

"You, the Hero of Time? It had better work, or we're out of ideas."

"Alright."

The door had been shut once more, the large brass hatch. I pushed against it lightly, and it swung outward, to reveal… nothing. My heart sank as the metal plating gave way to the very same blue mist, then swinging back with a loud clank as it fastened once again.

"Well, that didn't work."

"Try again," Sheik advised, "As the Hero of Time."

"Wow, great suggestion. What was I before, Jester of Time?" Nevertheless, I placed my hand on the door. I said a small prayer to Farore I had learned from some villagers in Kakariko. My eyes clenched, I pushed hard and felt the hinges swing noiselessly away. I did not even need to look to know that it had worked. The chilled fog had vanished, a warm breath of air blowing through the archway onto my face. The hallway had returned, no different than we had left it.

I rarely felt as cocky as I did then. "After you both."

***

"I'm just saying that this will have consequences."

"You think I don't know that?"

"It is a mistake."

"Coming from the guy who thinks it's wrong to sleep with your eyes closed."

"Your jokes do not make the situation any less severe, Link."

"Why can't you trust him? You said it yourself, he's broken. And it's our job to fix him."

"This will prove to be a mistake. First sign of treachery to be found, and I cut his head off."

"He won't hurt us."

"Just don't turn your back. You might just find an arrow in it if you do."

"Yes, mom."

"Well, Mom's going hunting then, because you, the lazy son, won't get up off your ass and help."

"I'm helping. I'm fishing, aren't I?"

"And you've caught one single fish, and it was poisonous. Great help."

"Whine whine, bitch bitch."

"I'm leaving."

"Are you coming back soon?"

"I sure hope not. Have to put up with you either way, so I might just take a while."

"You're so nice."

I was nestled on a large grey rock, carved into a smooth bowl over many thousand years by the flooding of the lake. A thick layer of moss grew upon the slick surface, creating a pillow-like cushion. It was perfect for sitting on, especially for hours on end fishing. Sheik dashed off into the thicket.

Dark was several yards away, perched in a tall tree, playing a dirge on his ocarina. The notes were clear, his technique excellent. Those years locked away in time had allowed him to get quite good. The melody echoed off the surface of the water.

The music slowed and ended, the requiem fading on the wind. "You like fish?" I asked, trying to open a line of conversation.

"Fish?" he queried.

"Yeah. Don't tell me you've never heard of a fish before."

"I have. What about them?"

"Do you like them?"

Dark seemed unsure of the question. "They keep to themselves, they swim around and do nothing of consequence."

"But do you like the taste?" I clarified.

"Taste?"

"Yeah. Eating them."

"Reserved for worldly beings."

"Eating fish?"

"Eating anything."

"Huh?"

"I am not Hylian, you should have realized. I am nothing more than a shadow. My sustenance does not abide the same laws as you do. As a shadow, I continue to live as long as he who casts me."

I paused a moment, trying to decipher his cryptic speech. "That's a scary thought."

"Perhaps."

"Does it work in reverse?"

"No, you are independent of me. If I die, you live on. It is not the same in the opposite direction."

"I'll try not to die then."

"It makes no difference. I am, in every likelihood, going to meet end before you."

"Are you sure?"

"Not in the least. It makes no difference to me."

"How can you be so indifferent with life?"

"Life?"

"That which binds you to this world."

"If that is so, then you are my life."

"I didn't mean like that, but I suppose that's one way to look at it."

"It doesn't matter which way it is looked at. I was never meant to live, and as of now, I still am not."

_He's worse than Sheik. _I decided to give up for the time being. The outer shield was always the hardest to crack, the armor that must be shelled like a nut to expose the soft inner spirit. I remembered the journey it had been simply to make Sheik smile for the first time.

I felt a slight tug in the pole, and the tip bowed ever so slightly. It was a nibble, little more. As the end quivered erratically, I made it to my knees, ready to pull hard. Just had to wait for the perfect moment, that one long tug.

A loud twang, a yell, and a loud thud on the ground filled the air in rapid succession. I felt a swift brush against my arm just above the elbow, and the end of my pole seemingly snapped in half. The water in front of me began to ripple as I caught a glimpse of an arrow shaft driving into the lake. No splash. It could have passed me by had I blinked. Not so much as a bubble, either. A truly lethal arrow.

I could hear more muffled shouting from behind me, and for a moment I thought I had gone crazy. My own voice filled the air, but my lips weren't moving. I dropped the shattered remnants of the fishing pole, and whipped around, pushing off from my crouched position ready for a fight. I had already placed my hand on the hilt of the Master Sword before I could process what was happening.

Which was even more shocking. Dark was face down on the grass directly underneath the branch upon which he had just been perched, his bow still clutched in his fingers. It was a peculiar bow, only a foot between the ends at the widest part. The tips were stubbed and braced up against his arm in a peculiar grip. A crossbow-gauntlet of an alien concoction, and black as night. The string seemed to be as thin as a single strand of silk, glinting like a mirror in the sun. His other arm was pinned under his chest. Upon his back, Sheik was crouched, his hands firmly around the back of Dark's neck, ready to snap it like a twig at any moment.

"What, may I ask, are you doing to him?"

Sheik' gaze came across me with an amazingly intense anger behind it.

"He was going to kill you, the intended weapon is in his hand. I am preserving your life, Hero. Your judgment is questionable in this matter, shall I take care of it?"

He spoke in an amazingly calm voice, so coolly and emotionlessly that, had it been somebody else, I might have even said 'yes'. His bandaged fingers flexed around Dark's neck, and the shadow's body gasped suddenly, rasping for breath. I knew this very technique that Sheik used. It was a trick he had learned from Impa as a tool of persuasion. He had placed his fingers around a particular two of Dark's vertebrae, where the very tip of the brainstem was located. He pushed them in opposite directions, pinching the nerve cluster, which sent immobilizing pain throughout the victim's body. Sheik had once remarked that it was the most pain a Hylian, Sheikah, Zora, or anything with a spine could feel without being wounded mortally. Of course, if he pushed it too far, the brain stem snapped and the victim was either paralyzed or dead, but not in such order for probablility.

I felt a wave of momentary disgust at Dark. But as Sheik pinched the nerves, Dark let out a whimper, unable or unwilling to conjure up a scream. He was completely defeated. I knew it wasn't true.

"Get off him, Sheik."

"You are unable to adjudicate this matter. It is a conflict of interests, with him being part of you. By your logic, you are on trial here, Link."

"Maybe I am. And that's why you didn't kill him before he hit the ground. You can't, not without hesitation. You have become softer since the fall of Ganondorf, even if your reputation says otherwise. Softer in spirit, lighter in heart. Get off of him."

"He tried to kill you, and you insist that he is nothing but good."

"Not him," came the rasping, distant call of Dark. "Centipede… bite you.." he managed between breaths.

I glanced back at the bank. A rather large, blue centipede had nestled itself on the stone seat where I had been only a minute before.

"I see. You were trying to kill the centipede with a bow, from that distance?"

The hat upon his head dipped slightly in the only indication of 'yes' he could manage. Rather than slacken his grip, worked his fingers even harder.

"What if you had missed? You could have killed him!"

"Sheik, LET HIM GO!"

Sheik wavered slightly, then dug his heels into the back of his would-be prey out of spite. I took a step forward, and with no provocation, swung my fist directly at Sheik's masked face. Of course, he wouldn't be overtaken so easily, and caught my gauntlet deftly in his open palm. I had expected as much, and quickly brought my knee up into his stomach. He managed to roll back with the blow, and I drove the elbow of my free arm down on the crown of his skull, making a sickeningly loud noise. Not lethal in any sense, but enough to leave him disoriented. His grasp slackened, and I cradled his wilting body into my arms. I pushed him back onto his feet, my hands on his shoulders to steady his posture. He had a look of profound perplexity, obviously still spinning from the blow. My arms under his shoulders, I lifted him off of his feet, alleviating the pressure on Dark. I heard a gasp for breath, but he did not lift his face from the ground.

I placed Sheik back down, the few inches between his feet and the ground reduced to zero. His knee gave out, and he slumped over my shoulder. I propped him up, and whispered softly in his ear.

"You put me in my place, I put you in yours. We're even. You're absolutely right; I will regret it forever."

Sheik's eyes unclouded, and his vision focused once again. "Then there is something I must say to you in private."

"Go. I'll meet you at the far edge of the clearing soon. I must attend to Dark first."

"I will help."

I glared at Sheik, something I was not completely confident would be effective. It was like trying to stare down a brick wall. He managed to get the message, and turned his heel and leapt away, up into the tree and disappearing between the thick canopy.

"Are you alright?" I asked, stooping down to examine the damage, careful not to touch him for fear of a flinch. He might be hurt.

"You should have let him kill me."

"I most certainly should not. Sheik is, well… Sheik. You did something that set him off. He was acting to protect me, which was charged to him by Prin… Queen Zelda. I must agree with him that it is a VERY bad sight to see, me looking away and you aiming a bow at my back.

Dark lifted his head up. "You have your shield covering your back. Even if I had missed, it wouldn't have hurt you."

"There's always a possibility."

"I deal with probability, not possibility."

"And Sheik does not."

I looked back to the stone. The centipede had abandoned its post. I put an arm under Dark's arm and helped him up, as gently as possible. "You alright? You fell quite a ways."

"I'm fine."

"By the way, thanks for warning me about that thing. I hate centipedes. I like bugs, just really hate centipedes. Centipedes and bees." I shuddered in a memory. "I was up in death-"

"-mountain grotto," Dark took over, "When you were attacked by bees cause you stupidly used the nest as your slingshot practice. Took three shots to hit it. You probably would have gone into a coma and died of poisoning had a rolling Goron not happened by and saved you. Brought you to the healer in Goron city."

He didn't just look like me…. He knew my past?

"Yes, I have your memories. After all, I am made from your soul," Dark spoke, pushing himself to his knees.

"Oh… right. Forgot about that part. But… do you have my memories from after Ganon cast his curse on me?"

"No, I have none between that very moment and when Ganon first administered… the Caress. The rest is painfully clear."

"Don't think about it."

"Every time I close my eyes, I hear my own screams. Be it only for the blink of an eye, it is always there. I can't ignore it."

"Then let me help."

His eyes seemed to drift. He was gone, for now, the conversation was officially closed. I turned away, and left him crouching there.

"I'll be right back."

"I never miss."

My head almost twisted around completely on my neck. "What?"

"Sheik asked what would have happened if I had missed. I never miss." He fell silent once again, his stare finding its way to the lake. Somehow, I didn't doubt him.

Sheik was sitting under a large tree. Nuts and fruit littered the ground; Sheik had a handful of the dark brown nuts, and in the other hand a fruit was skewered on the tip of his knife.

"What did you need to say?" I asked as completely unbiased as I could muster, as though there had been no altercation earlier. Sheik's composure betrayed nothing.

"Nut?" he invited, holding his hand out if offering.

"No, thanks."

"Fruit?"

"…sure."

He held the knife in front of him, citric juice running down the edge. It slid off easily, and I took a mouthful off the side.

"You were right. I was out of place. But my opinion still does not change on him. He may have been aiming for a centipede, or he might be simply misleading you because he was caught. His thoughts are clouded. Even you don't deny that he is a twisted creation of the Black King."

I swallowed hard, the sweet flesh nearly choking me in my haste to respond. "I do not, but I also know he is not here to harm us."

"Why not?"

"Because if he kills me, he kills himself."

"You heard him, he's already tried to take his own life. Why should he care about yours?"

"Because it is his own. He even remembers you."

Sheik almost asphyxiated on the nut he had been chewing and looked up at me, the seeds slipping through his fingers as his grasp slackened. "Remember me from what?"

"From when we were kids. Before I opened the Temple of Time, when it was Zelda, you, and I. Those days we'd spend playing hide and seek in the castle. Our camping trips to this very lake." I pointed through a frame of trees, at the cliffs on the far side of the lake. "We used to set the tents up there, remember?"

"How could he remember that?"

"You can answer that yourself."

Sheik pondered for a moment, his breathing returning to its calm, quiet norm. "But he cannot remember after the separation, right?"

"Correct."

"I think I see him now."

"That's good."

"No. It's not." His voice had suddenly become battle-ready.

"Why?"

"Because I see him. And he's standing on the edge of the cliff."

I couldn't help but glance to where his stare had turned, still rested firmly on the cliff as if still remembering a campfire long ago.

There, upon the very knife-edging of the cliff, a dark-clad figure with a black hat rested.

It was Sheik who was the first to move. He managed to pounce up into the tree from his sitting position without the use of his arms. He swiftly tore through the canopy, gracefully navigating the branches like a monkey in a blue Sheikah suit. His hands grasped difficult branches and continued in what seemed to be a single, flowing movement throughout the forest.

I rummaged through my satchel and pockets, quickly producing the longshot I had received in this same temple, years ago. Aiming it carefully at a stump that stood out of the water along the bank of the river, I released the trigger, and the chain blasted forth. The reaction jarred my arm slightly as a loud _thok _sounded, and the chain went tight. The spring-loaded recoil lifted me off my feet and over the water, my body almost skimming the sparkling surface as I soared through the air. The stump approached rapidly, and I planted my boots firmly onto the flat top, cushioning the impact with a bending of the knees. A few more well-placed hooks, and I was halfway up the cliff, Dark's silhouette still terrifyingly close to the edge. He was twisting his hat in his hands, as if deliberating with himself. The wind whipped his silvery, silken hair, the strands illuminated with a dazzling orange of the waning sun. Grey, ominous clouds hung low to the east.

I burst from the line of trees just as Sheik launched off a high branch onto the ground, rolling the momentum to get to his feet again.

Dark stood there, facing the deep orange sunset. He had dropped to his knees, precariously perched over the precipice. A sneeze, a single tiny pebble sliding out from under his knees, any number of things could leave him falling a thousand feet to the rocky lake. He made no movements. His head was dipped, looking down into the far waters below.

Sheik crept silently closer, but stopped when he was nearly five feet away, perhaps a little more.

"What is it that would make you want to end it this way?"

Dark turned his head, as if he had been expecting Sheik.

"You." His ghostly, glowing red eyes matched the background sun.

"I see. And what is it that I have done to warrant such?"

"Nothing."

"Then why is it so?"

"It is because I have memories of you. Link's friend, the first one that he ever truly felt that he loved." I felt myself blushing hard as the words escaped his lips. I eyed Sheik, but he seemed to have not noticed. Of course he had, but he didn't look like it. "Everything, I remember it. I remember it as my own." His face turned back down, seemingly pained by his own words. "I have since lost the capacity to love. I have lost this friend so dear, and he doesn't trust me."

"I did not fully understand, and I doubt I ever will. But as you were locked away, I lost a friend that day Ganondorf rent you from Link. He was simply gone, vanished into thin air. Everyone assumed him dead, myself included. Now I have him back… and you too."

Dark looked up. "Your life since then, I have no collection of. Why do you speak of me as a friend?"

"It is my duty to protect you. After all, you are technically part of the Hero of Time. I am bound by the throne of Hyrule to serve you."

Their eyes locked for what seemed to be several moments, neither of them eager to break it. Finally, it was Dark who looked away ashamedly.

"Please, just slide back a few feet," I added hopefully. Dark heavily tucked his feet under him, rocking back onto his heels. He straightened his knees as though testing them after many weeks of sitting, drawing back up to his slouched, conquered posture. He slothily shuffled back a yard or two, boots kicking up a small cloud of dust as they went.

I drew closer, closer than I normally would have dared, and welcomed him back. I placed my hand upon his back, the inevitable flinch making his entire body quiver under my fingers. Rather than remove it, I held him harder.

"You have to learn, I will not hurt you."

"Please, let go." His body continued to squirm under my arm. His gaze again locked far away, the stare meant to forget. He was trying to keep something hidden, buried deep in time.

"I won't. Please, relax."

Dark closed his eyes, and ever so slowly, the convulsions died to nothing more than a slight shiver. Understandable, the wind was quite chilling. He already seemed as though he were frozen to the marrow.

_Too cold._ Beneath my grasp, his body was too cool. Had it been hammering snow, he would not be this icy. My mind whirred inquiringly.

"You're freezing. We need to make a fire, soon. It'll be night in the next half an hour."

"A chill no fire can warm," Dark declared simply.

Sheik, upon hearing the peculiar news, wrapped his arm around Dark's neck, his hand guiding Dark's head until it was a mere inch from his face. Dark's expression turned to a mixture of profound confusion, shyness, and a touch of terror. I felt a pang of what felt like jealousy, a flash back to the previous night. But Sheik's eyes were not the soft, caring orbs they had been. They showed nothing but seriousness.

"You have no pulse," he commented incredulously.

"You suspected as much? One needs a living heart to have a pulse."

"I didn't think about it. Why do you not have a heart?"

"Contrarily, I have a heart. It was put into a dormant state by the icy enchantments of Kotake under request of the Black King." He sighed heavily. "It is so, as I said, I am unable to love." His lids fluttered closed again, his body finally relaxing. "Years of the cold, it feels refreshing to feel such warmth from you two."

I slid my arm off, blushing a little. Sheiks' remained firmly in place for a few moments longer, and then they too slipped away. As if simultaneously drawn, we all looked out onto the lake, glinting beautifully in the last of the lights rays.

A small drip landed on the tip of my nose. I looked up into sky; dark grey clouds had moved above head.

"We'd better get moving."

***

It had begun to drizzle as we made our way through the thick tree cover. It wasn't long before we had come across a cave. Really more of an alcove, it was carved into the side of the cliff face. Sheik and I held back, wary of what else may have found shelter in the recess.

Dark, however, simply strolled into the darkness.

I yelled into the niche as his figure melded with the shadows. His glowing eyes hovered in the black.

"I am but a shadow; there is nothing here. Nothing but dirt and rock," came an echo.

No other noises could be heard, and I took a step in, Sheik in tow.

The alcove was quite cozy, a smooth carved tube as though bored by a huge, stone-eating insect. It expanded about twenty five feet back into the cliff, the ceiling hung low, my hat brushing the flat granite.

The ground was littered with sticks and leaves, all dry and crinkly, perfect for lighting a fire. The rain had begun to roar outside, and the desiccated materials were all piled into a small lump. Sheik sparked his knife against a flint, and soon the fire crackled happily. A torrential downpour put no damper on the flames, the sweet smell of pine smoke cramming itself into every crevice of the cave, floating out the mouth.

It was a while before any of us spoke, and finally Sheik broke the silence.

"You didn't happen to land that other fish, did you?"

"No, my pole broke in the… confusion," I replied. "Why?"

He stood up, brandishing both of his knives. "I didn't manage to catch anything either. I'll bring something back. If I'm not back by morning, keep waiting."

I opened my lips to respond, but Dark beat me to it.

"No, allow me."

"What?" both Sheik and I posed in time.

"I will go and gather. It is my fault that you were both disturbed, and I shall rectify this error."

"You don't have to do that," Sheik added curiously.

"I don't have to, I want to."

Sheik almost began to protest again, but I eyed him stonily, and the words died in his chest. Dark stood up, and he fixed his black bow-glove onto his left hand and wrist.

"I'll be back soon." And with that, he walked out into the rain, disappearing in the mist.

Sheik sat back down next to the fire, stoking it with the tip of one of his blades. He was a million miles away, thinking somewhere high above the clouds and far beyond the distant horizons.

I took a seat next to him, rubbing my hands together. A cold gust swept into the alcove, the flames flickering dangerously on the brink of extinguishing. The temperature was dropping rapidly. I looked back outside, the rain falling harder than ever, and I wished silently that I had learned a song of Anti-Storms or something. Alas, it was not to be.

My head turned back to the fire, and I noticed Sheik shivering to my side. He didn't make any moves, just trembled slightly in place.

Without any clear intention, my arm crept up around his side, pulling him closer. The fabric of his suit crumpled slightly in my hand, and his body sidled up against mine. As soon as his side made contact with mine, I felt a flow of comfortable heat rush over me. Sheik stopped shivering; he liked it just as much as I did. He curled up to me, and I laid back against the cave wall, Sheik's head against my chest. I was quite content.

The warrior looked up at me with his deep ruby eyes visible behind his mask. I lowered my head slightly, my forehead resting upon his fabric-wrapped crown. My eyes became leaden as I sailed away to the River of Dreams.

And that's when I felt his soft lips against my cheek. A quick kiss, but enough to rouse me from my voyage. My lids snapped open, and I stared directly into that claret gaze.

"Do you think Dark will be gone long?" he asked suggestively. I pushed my face into his, kissing him lightly.

"I sure hope so."

His powerful forearms enveloped my head, pulling me down to meet his awaiting, tender kiss. His tongue pounced forth, more readily and aggressively than it had before, and I realized what exactly it was he had been thinking. He caressed the inside of my mouth, and I reveled in every moment, trying to pay it back in full. His cheeks, his teeth, his mouth and throat, all of it so moist and delicate, it was delightful. His saliva had a peculiar taste, I couldn't place it within the simplest of categories, but it was delicious all the same. I could do nothing more than kiss him deeply, and so deeply in return that I thought it would soon be irreversible. And I really wouldn't have minded in the least.

moose

As he continued to snack upon my mouth, I felt his hands slide lower down my back, down to my waist. He played with the trim of my tunic between his fingers. The bandages began to unwind, falling off his wrists to expose delicate hands, tips pointed as a mystic, nails neatly trimmed. Regarding my belt, he had undone the buckle without me noticing, and it fell away with a soft clink of metal on stone. His passion redoubled, forcing his tongue deeper into my mouth, twirling it in sweet pirouettes around my own. His slender hands found their way up my tunic, teasing my skin as they ascended my spine sensuously. The tunic was caught upon his wrists, lifting it up slowly and up to my neck as he seemed to play his harp upon my shoulders. His lips drew apart from mine just long enough to slip the tunic off my head. He adjusted himself, sitting upon my thighs to face me completely, trapping me again between his own muscular body and the granite behind me. My own hands had begun to drift, finding their way down to his waist. The separation in his suit was almost impossible to find, but I soon had pulled the seams apart. His hot skin and muscles flexed under my chilled fingers. His strong back rippled beneath my touch, and I sloughed off the form-fitting suit top, his bare torso then against mine.

Only then did he release his kiss. He pulled his head back a few inches to look at me with those beautiful, deep eyes, and I believed I could stay with him forever.

I felt a pressure growing against my stomach near my navel, and I nearly immediately recognized it for what it was; Sheik's eyes did not betray his feelings, but the rest of his body sure did. The warm sensation unfolded against me, the soft fabric of Sheik's pants rubbing my stomach. My own body began to show its affection. Sheik noticed it quite promptly.

*Skip-From Point

"Who would have guessed the Hero of Time would carry such a large sword."

I drew my knuckles slowly down his toned belly, feeling the ridged abs. He gasped as my fingers closed firmly around the passionately burning fabric-wrapped cylinder.

I pulled closer to him, my face planted firmly against his chest. So soft, I wanted to envelop him like his suit. Nothing would have pleased me more. Or so I thought, until I learned what happened next.

Without notice, his hands slid their way down through the textile elastic that held my pants up. His masterful fingers slid them off my trembling legs, and the chill of the night breeze licked every part of my body. Sheik would be jealous. He teasingly slid his body down against mine, stopping when his head was level with my hips. I had a moment's thought, a curious question I had been yearning for, and my hand swiped for the hood upon his head when his eyes were fixated on… other things. Proficiently, he twisted his head to the right, effectively dodging. He looked up at me with eyes aglow, as if to say 'don't touch'. I would have to wait for another day to see Sheik's angelic face nakedly.

His eyes dropped again, and he cracked a small smile, as a cat about to play with it's prey. I hoped he didn't have the urge to bite. Perhaps this were a trap, Sheik was always playing tricks. And some of them hurt. A lot.

One of his hands slid up the length of my leg, danced around my midriff, and snaked its way lower. Those fingers slowly tiptoed down, gently pressing my sensitive skin, my head exploding with anticipation, my heart racing. I had begun to throb uncontrollably, I found myself completely erect. Just what he had been hoping for.

His lips parted, and his pink tongue reached out, licking me ever so slightly. It tickled me just right, a wave of pleasure overcame my senses. My breathing became slightly rough. He licked me again, this time longer, as though savoring it, up along the entire shaft. Pulsations ran through my muscles, twitching.

And then, as his tongue left the very end, he closed his lips around me. A wave of moist warmth ran through my flesh. His teeth were parted gently, no pressure applied. It tickled, to tell the truth. His tongue wound around the shaft as he took it deeper, swallowing it leisurely. My entire body had gone slack, my mind completely occupied by the delightful touch of Sheik's mouth.

I could feel the back of Sheik's mouth approaching, but he showed no signs of stopping until he had taken it all. Hunching his shoulders, he made a strong push forward with his neck, and I felt the head slip down into his throat. Looking from the side, I could see a small lump in his neck. His breathing did not slow, however. Truly amazing.

His forehead contacted my lower stomach, the tips of his hair brushing against me. I could feel his warm breath, ragged but controlled. I felt myself pulsate again, and the lump grew slightly larger in his neck.

I gasped as he began to pull back out, bliss surging through every synapse in my brain. My legs began to tighten, I was growing close.

Sheik then began a slow, rhythmic pattern, thrusting his head back and forth, swallowing, pulling back out… I couldn't take much more. One final throb as he consumed me all the way alerted, and I began to throb hysterically. I felt a burst of ecstasy as my muscles clenched, sending a violent eruption of my hot, sticky juices.

Sheik choked partially only once, surprised at the salty delicacy. I realized that I hadn't told him, and was literally forcing it down his throat. He didn't seem to mind, swallowing every last drop, the peristalsistic muscles soothingly massaging all up the length, causing me to throb even more, unloading more of that brackish mixture which he devoured eagerly.

I felt myself give one final burst in the orgasm, and the pleasure subsided slightly, the throbbing muscle contraction no longer force-feeding Sheik. For a moment, I thought he looked a little disheartened, but then he pulled back in complete satisfaction, making sure to gulp down every last drop. He licked his lips like a royal connoisseur.

* Skip-To Point

He sat up onto his knees, and leaned forward to kiss me. His face was illuminated by the moonlight behind me, his eyes dazzlingly bright. And then….

He stopped.

Mid-lean, Sheik had suddenly frozen, his eyes widening, no longer focusing on me. He seemed to be looking past me.

A shadow fell upon his face. I quickly leaned my head back, expecting the worst.

I'm not sure if the worst is what I found. But I was pretty damn sure it wasn't good.

There, standing at the mouth of the cave, was the ghostly silhouette of Dark, holding a dead pig impaled on an finely placed arrow through the neck in one hand and a few leafy vegetables in the other. His eyes glowed like burning rubies in the backlighting of pure colorless white.

(Thanks for reviews. I was going to make the scene a little longer, but I decided I should hold back a little for now. I'm going to be gone for a few days on business, so I won't have any time to work on the next chapter. I kinda just wanted to get this one done, you might have figured out why ^_^. Hope you enjoyed it.)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI

The glowing eyes didn't move from us. He stood there as a statue, unflinching in every way. It was incredibly uncomfortable. I felt myself go instantly limp, and the wind became so much more chilling. I quickly reached for my pants as Sheik jumped backwards. I felt a little disheartened . I had wanted to feel so much more of him, but it was unhappily disrupted. Sheik slid his own suit back on as I pulled the pants up my legs hastily.

Dark approached slowly. His tunic was surprisingly dry, despite having been out in the pouring rain. He held up his hands, presenting the foodstuffs to Sheik.

"Please, don't stop on my account."

Sheik was stone still for a moment. He was not used to showing such affection for someone, and DEFINITELY not used to getting caught doing it. His stomach still churned my warm sap inside, gurgling happily at the arrival of company. Slowly, he reached out his hands and took one of the vegetables. He bit a wary mouthful, his eyes not moving from Dark, who then turned to me and offered me the other. It looked much like a large, yellow beet, and I took it gratefully after I pulled the rest of my tunic on. Dark proceeded to skin the boar, his cuts masterful and precise.

I finished the vegetable. It was fairly sweet and bready, with a nice citrusy aftertaste, as though it were a fruit instead. If a potato were a fruit, that's what it would be. I decided to ask Dark something, who hadn't said anything since he had encouraged us.

"How long were you watching?"

The orbs floated over me.

"Since about the time you said I wouldn't be back for a while."

"You lie, there would have been no time to hunt and gather in only a few minutes," came a comment from Sheik in an unreadable tone. Embarrassment? Anger? I couldn't tell.

"I told you." Dark paused. "I never miss."

We ate in a prolonged silence, Dark never so much as glancing at either of us in an awkward or curious fashion. It was slightly creepy. I crawled over to a rock, staking my sleeping space. Sheik's head slumped, still in the same seated position he had eaten in, and his shoulders began to rise with his resting breaths. Dark had leaned in a corner of the alcove, his eyes flickered slowly shut. Asleep, I wasn't sure.

***

My sleep was plagued with burning passion, unable to escape the touch of Sheik. He had been so gentle, so soft… I felt the rock up against my back, opening my eyes as I awoke lightly, turning my head to get more comfortable. I looked up, and for a moment I was quite sure that I was still dreaming.

There, gleaming in the blackness above me, was red. Two circular, unfathomable oceans of it. I sat up, a little disgruntled, realizing that it was Dark, leaning over me while I slept.

"Can't sleep?" I inquired after the shock subsided.

"What do you see?"

"What am I looking at?" I asked, suppressing a yawn.

"What is it that you see in him? What does he see in you?"

I realized he spoke of Sheik.

"Why does he not trust me?" His deep, glowing eyes wandered towards the sleeping Sheikah, the delicate curve of the back and neck shimmering in the moonlight. Always sleeping like that, sitting up.

I wondered for a moment how to explain, my own gaze drifting over the sinuous, thin figure, who I had been dreaming of only moments ago.

"Well… its complicated."

Dark leaned even closer, attentively. It was spine-chilling, trying to explain something to a mirror image of myself.

"He has only known you for, a day, perhaps two, correct?"

Dark nodded silently.

"Well… there's the problem. You should know Sheik doesn't trust anyone that soon. It's taken me so many years to become his…" the words died in my throat.

"Lover?" the shade offered.

I felt myself blush, hoping that Dark wouldn't notice. If he did, he didn't betray it. "I suppose you could say that…"

"Suppose? It seemed to be extremely unambiguous before."

My face felt hot. "That was… it…"

"His expression of care for you? It seems logical."

"You're trying to think of everything in a logical way."

"Should it not be so?"

"Not always. Emotions often cannot be completely rationalized."

"Love is one of these?"

"More so than any other. Complicated and unpredictable, following no guidelines. There is no calculation you can make to explain it."

"You seem to have found an answer."

"An answer I cannot understand, but enjoy nonetheless."

"So I gathered. You seem to receive a great deal of pleasure from Sheik's presence."

"That's a little personal, no? You were spying, you weren't meant to see that."

Dark's nervousness had faded into a strange sort of apathy, an engaged indifference. I think he enjoyed conversation with another being after who knows how long of an imprisonment. "If it is personal, then should I not have a say in it? I am part of you, after all. I did not mean only when you two are fornicating. Even now, you are more relaxed while Sheik in within a few strides. When he is away, your muscles are tenser, and much more prone to twitching."

"How do you know?"

"I notice small things. I often miss bigger things as compensation."

"Well… I suppose you could say that he makes me feel oddly safe. As though nothing can go wrong."

"A foolish outlook, undoubtedly."

"But it makes me happier, and he seems to feel the same. Nothing has yet happened, and I plan to continue that way."

"Unwise, again. Understandable, you have the Triforce of Courage, not Wisdom. How many times have you slipped out by the thinnest strand of a Sheikah's hair?"

"Only a couple."

"How many?"

My mind wandered momentarily, trying to recall the few times Sheik and I had barely cheated death. Perhaps it had been more than a few, but not too many… Ganondorf, the fire temple, the goblin army, the desert that had nearly swallowed them whole in a dust storm… the quicksand-like bogs to the north… the southern forests… the voyage across the ocean, where the hurricane had nearly shredded the ship… I began to realize the number was quite a bit larger than I had anticipated.

"A lot, I guess."

"How much longer will your luck last, don't you wonder?"

"Your cynicism is counterproductive. Focus on the good, and the bad will simply fall into place."

"And what if something happens to him?"

I had already prepared a follow-up reply, but the unexpected question caught me off guard. "Nothing will happen to him," I replied sternly.

"You think you protect him, and that he protects you. What happens when you are not there to do so? He will die, if you continue on your path as Hero of Time, or vice versa. Your tone becomes angry when I speak such, why?"

"You know the answer, don't you."

"Is it love?"

"Yes."

"Interesting."

"What's gotten into you?"

"I am simply trying to understand why you are so special to Sheik, whereas I am not."

I sighed in exhaustion, the circling conversation ending up at the very beginning. "I don't think I can answer that."

The shade's eyelids twitched, partially skewing the ghastly glow. "You can't?"

"You have all of my memories before the separation, but not after. You lack the past four years or so… and that is when something special happened. I have memories that you do not, and you have your own."

The blank stare seemed to signify a profound misunderstanding. My head began to hurt.

"Another way of explaining it, maybe," I fumbled, suppressing a yawn. Why couldn't Dark understand? He had never experienced love, quite the opposite… he had been exposed to pure evil for his life, and then complete isolation. His concept of priorities must be much skewed.

"You are tired, I have bothered you. Go back to sleep."

Dark mechanically stood back up, and walked out of the cave, moving silently past Sheik's seat before I could even object.

_He's so weird. Course, that means I'm weird._

I fell back onto the stone, sinking into sleep immediately following.

***

I awoke, and Dark was nowhere to be found. Daylight illuminated the alcove, the burning embers of the fire still smouldering weakly.

Sheik was already awake, but by judging the same sitting position and his eyes still seemed to be adjusting to the light, he had obviously been asleep only a minute ago.

"Good morning," I rasped, my throat a little raw from the smoke.

"Yes it is." An unusual response from the notorious night-crawler. His usual morning greeting consisted of a curse.

"Anything in particular?"

His tired head rolled to the left, watching me as I stood up to stretch my legs, stepping inadvertently over him. "You really do have the piece of Courage, not Wisdom."

"Huh?"

"You couldn't tell I was awake?"

"Oh. You heard all that?"

"Yes."

"And what did you think about it?" I asked, looking down to his still seated figure.

He stood quickly, mere inches from myself. I felt his arm go around my waist as he drew to his full height. Deciding to play the game, I wrapped my own around the small of his back, drawing him close. I could smell the morning musk radiating off of him, a natural perfume that was always intoxicating to me. Sheik always smelled good, even after a week in the wilderness after a five-day battle. I knew, as it had happened only seven months previous.

The cowl brushed against my forehead, his breaths muffled by the rolls of fabric. "I believe I understand you both better. Him, especially."

"And you are still a mystery."

"That only means you still have much to learn."

"Well," I started as I pawed playfully at his back, "I do know that you have particular knack for osculation, as well as a fondness for salt."

"You should pull your head out of the gutter sometimes. The view is much nicer."

The scarlet orbs were inviting. "I see that."

This time, we heard the boots plodding in the dirt outside the cave; Dark had returned. Sheik gracefully slipped out of my embrace, turning to face the opening just as the pallid figure came into view. His dark tunic was covered in dirt. In his left hand, he held three small birds, their heads lolling to the side at unnatural angles, necks broken cleanly in two. Under his arm were two red apples, freshly picked, and in his right hand, a curious leather pouch, full of green beans with purple spots.

"Breakfast," he declared, holding up the birds and apples.

Sheik had already begun to add a few sticks to the fire, and flames had burst from the embers.

"What're the beans for?" I asked, not expecting the answer I got.

"They're for you two."

"Why? What are they?"

"These are Illiot beans. They are a natural aphrodisiac with some muscle-relaxing properties. I found them in the forest, and decided to pick some, if you ever wanted them."

I could feel myself blushing. Sheik, still bent over the fire, turned away from us even more, and I knew he was feeling the same embarrassed sensation. I began to laugh a little, stopping the impending awkward silence in its tracks.

"Why didn't you keep any for yourself?" I inquired jokingly.

Dark's head tilted, and across his face spread a look as though I had asked him a particularly absurd question. I found it to be quite reasonable.

"I didn't think I'd need them. You two are the only ones here having se-"

"The fire is ready," interrupted Sheik loudly, changing the topic of conversation abruptly. He still didn't seem comfortable with the incident of the previous evening. Though, behind the mask, his expression didn't exactly match his actions. It almost seemed as though he had wanted to say something along the lines of 'I'm not so sure about that.'

Dark handed the birds to Sheik, and an apple to myself.

"I must warn you, they are particularly potent. One will suffice for several hours. Any more than that, and you'll be feeling the effects all day."

_Perhaps that's not always such a bad thing,_ I thought to myself. Sheik was right; my mind was often in the gutter.

***

The meal was filling, despite the size of the birds. Dark had set a trap of particularly viscous tree sap, and as the birds had struggled to disentangle themselves, he had leapt from a perch in a nearby shrub and cracked their spines. Quite an impressive trap for one that never needed food.

I encouraged him to at least try a bite of the fowl, which he refused at first. After some skillful nagging on my part (yes, I admit it, it's a skill that I'm not particularly proud of), he agreed. He chewed it for several minutes until it was surely pulverized into liquid meat, then swallowed. He made no comment, and I decided not to push it. Perhaps I could convince him to eat a full meal at supper.

I had nearly forgotten when Sheik piped up. "We should get going, the Queen expects results as soon as possible."

Dark again had a mild look of puzzlement. I had neglected to mention what we had been in the temple for in the first place.

It took a long while to explain, and it was nearly mid-day when Sheik had finished.

"So where do you plan to go now?" Dark questioned.

"You're coming with us, you know," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Alright. Then where are we going?"

I searched for an answer, and realized that I had none particularly close at hand. "Haven't the foggiest."

"Typical," Sheik uttered whisperingly.

"I don't see YOU coming up with any ideas, Sheik."

"I'M not the Hero of Time."

"Whatever."

"Perhaps Impa would be right in this situation."

"How's that?"

"'When in doubt, it's time for a bath.' That's what she'd say."

"Really?"

"Well, she'd say 'cut off their heads' first. Unfortunately, there isn't a particularly good candidate for such action, so it will have to do."

"Sounds like sage advice."

"Well, she IS a Sage."

"I didn't know the Sheikah were so fond of the water."

"There are many things you don't know."

"Very true. I do happen to know that you are ticklish on the sides of your neck."

"You're an asshole, Link."

"I know," I said smugly.

***

The river was a crystalline blue, flowing slowly towards the lake. I set down my shield, relieved at the tremendous weight that lifted from my shoulders. Sheik had already taken off the upper part of his suit. I too proceeded to remove my clothing, glancing fleetingly as he slowly revealed more of himself. We slipped into the oddly warm water.

Dark had said he needed something from the forest, and soon he too emerged from the thicket holding a handful of leaves. Upon questioning, he revealed the purpose.

"The leaves of the Kepsum tree make a good hair conditioner. Make sure it's the leaves; if you use the sap from the bark, your hair will start to fall out."

"That's not exactly an inspiring statement, Dark," Sheik pointed out.

"Thank you."

Sheik was puzzled. "For what?"

"You called me 'Dark'."

"It's your name, isn't it?"

"Technically I don't have a name. But thank you just the same."

Dark also took off his shield, but instead he simply used it as a seat.

"You're not coming in?" I asked. From the reply face he gave, you'd have thought he had just been told that he had a long-lost relative that blew into town. He did that a lot. The glowing eyes checked the water.

"Will it hurt?"

"It's a river. No, it won't hurt. What a silly question."

"I apologize."

"And stop that too. You don't need to be so contrite."

Dark had almost begun to apologize again, but caught himself.

"Alright."

He took off his belt and tunic, and both Sheik and I watched carefully. His ghostly pale skin was littered with hundred of scars, some old, some new.

"What're those from?" I asked ignorantly, stupidly in fact.

"Loneliness," he replied simply, his voice wavering only slightly.

I found that the scratches included two extremely raw blemishes across his abdomen and chest. I felt a severe pang of guilt, as I realized that they were ones I had inflicted. I lowered into the water until only my face above my nose could be seen. The rest were from battles, perhaps. Or perhaps… they were his attempts on his own life. How could there be so many marks? Those words must have held immense truth of an equally immense loneliness. I couldn't help but feel bad.

I turned my head away, unable to face the tragedy. Sheik still looked on, a certain longing in his eyes. I had seen it the previous evening.

"See something you like?" I asked suggestively.

His face turned red, his mask still securely wrapped around his head. "I couldn't have hoped for such fortune. Two of you are good. Two of you without clothes?"

"Now whose mind is in the gutter?"

"Oh hush." Even so, his arm snaked its way around my shoulder, fingers meandering down my chest teasingly. I retaliated, my own limb draping around his waist, coming dangerously close to his "lower" regions.

It was Dark's turn to watch. His gleaming spheres reflected lightly off the water as he slid into the stream. Sheik also dropped low in the river, and began to pull apart.

Dark seemed to be mildly entertained. "Don't stop on my account."

We still drew apart; now was not the time.

Dark extended the handful of pulverized leaves to Sheik, who took it into his own grasp. He rubbed it between his hands, the green paste lathering between his fingers.

Sheik looked up at Dark. "Would you care for me to wash your hair?" he asked innocently.

Dark glanced at me nervously, perhaps for guidance. I nodded silently in agreement with Sheik. He waded over to us and turned around, tilting his head back, wetting his shimmering hair. Sheik raised his foamy hands and ran them skillfully through the silver strands atop Dark's head. The pasty face contorted as it happened, suds falling to the water. Sheik pulled his hands away until they hovered above the sopping threads, water dripping from the tips.

"I'm sorry," Sheik started.

"It's… fine. You can keep going."

"Are you sure?"

"…yes, please."

He ran the suds through the hair, and Dark twitched again, but was noticeably more contained. It was kind of cute in a strange sort of way, watching myself getting bathed by Sheik, who did so very sensuously, as I noticed. It was as if I were dreaming. Dark began to relax under the touch, no longer trembling, so far as to lay his head back, seeming to enjoy the massage of his scalp. I could understand; Sheik had that effect on me, and apparently it was the same for my mirror image. His lithe fingers swirled about the bubbly, hoary tresses, so delicate he could have been polishing the royal headpieces.

Darks eyes had closed, the very basest smile cracking across his lips. He had not felt something so pleasant for what probably felt like several hundred years.

Sheik's own gaze did not wander from Dark's face, lost in thought as he kneaded Dark's crown. He leaned down, and kissed Dark gently on the forehead. His smile became obscured in curiosity and confusion, but he didn't flinch. Progress, surely.

***

It was several minutes before I had even begun to think of possible solutions to our predicament. My brain began to ache in the strain, running through every moment I could recall, from the very moments of my awakening in the Sacred Realm to the prophecy in the castle dungeon. I had awakened to the voice of Rauru, noticing my body had changed. Navi had brought my attention to it.

I had a fleeting thought bolt across my mind, so fast I almost lost it.

"How good is a fairy's memory?" I asked abruptly to Sheik.

"Better than yours. Why?"

"There's somebody else that we could ask."

His eyes widened, beginning to understand where I was going with this. "What're you thinking, Link?"

An undulation of happiness washed over me. "I'm thinking it's time to go see an old friend. Last I heard, Navi was will-o-whispering for the Deku Sprout in Kokiri forest."

_To be continued…._

(Meh, not my favorite chapter to write, but a necessary one for later reference, I should think. Set's up Dark's character more completely, as I would have originally hoped. This story is turning out longer than I had thought. So far, I've used about two thirtds of my written notes, which are really only about two thirds finished, making about 70 pages so far in MSWord. Plus, the notes up until now have been pretty specific, whereas the next chapters are much more bare-bones. So this is realistically MAYBE 1/5th of the way through. Possibly less. I'll try to get more done soon. I've kinda been writing this one a lot, and I've gotten way behind on another story of mine. It should pick up the pace shortly, more action and stuffs. Big fight scene planned in a couple chapters. Hope it's a good one. I've noticed that I've begun to use the same words over and over again, something I've tried to correct. I never really thought about it, but the words 'eyes' and 'lips' have very few applicable synonyms. I'll probably be putting more of these 'author notes' at the end of chapters. Comments are appreciated, even encouraged. I like feedback. Ay lyubov, Farore, Din, ee Nayru zberezhot.

On a side note, would anyone like to beta Aglyphis?)


	7. Chapter 7

(This entire chapter sprang from a single note that consisted of 'S, L, and D go to Kokiri forest.' This is going to be one looooooooong story.)

Chapter VII

Epona had been confused when she saw Dark. Her thick mane, glistening in the morning sun, tossed and turned as she tried to decide which was the man she had met over a decade ago at Lon Lon ranch.

She was a smart horse; she had an idea. She nudged my satchel with her large nose, the flap popping up.

"What in the world…" I began. I didn't have any carrots in there, what was she looking for?

Her entire snout was now buried in the bag, and as she drew back, she produced my ocarina between her teeth. She held it up, and I took it from her easily.

"I get it." The same song that had brought us together indeed must be our secret. Quite a brilliant plan for a horse. I patted her on the bridge of her large nose. "Malon would be proud." Across from me, Dark had also unclasped his own satchel and retrieved his whistle. "Unfortunately for you, Epona, your plan has been foiled."

My fingers shifted slightly, preparing for the familiar tune. I lifted the ocarina to my lips.

The tune of the both of us pierced the air in harmony.

He was a wonderful musician; while I was only able to play the notes exactly as I had been taught, flat and uninteresting, Dark was able to create masterful tremolos. His ear for music was uncanny. As I repeated the notes over again, he harmonized with a matching tune of his own invention, polyphonetically perfect.

Sheik also noticed. His eyes had closed, his head bobbing slightly in time with the music.

Epona plopped herself down onto the grass, unable to decide. Perhaps she was dreaming. It wasn't quite a nightmare, but it wasn't exceptionally pleasant.

"Is she unhappy?" Dark asked, a tinge of regret highlighting his voice as he lowered his ocarina.

"Don't worry about it. She'll never be able to fully understand, but she will learn to accept it."

Dark put away his instrument as I pat Epona on the head. She didn't seem to mind, even if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"Where'd you get your ocarina?" Sheik asked, curious of the instrument. It was black as pitch, and had a particular sound, much different from the clay that I used.

"I made it," he said cleanly, putting the instrument away.

"When?"

"During my imprisonment. I made it from the wood of the tree."

I whistled, impressed. "That must've taken a while."

"When you have nothing but time, nothing seems to take long enough."

I hopped on Epona as Sheik mounted his own stallion. I looked down to Dark, still standing on the ground.

"Uh… hm…" I began, not quite sure what to make of the predicament. Epona was able to carry two, but for relatively short distances at the cost of speed.

Sheik seemed to notice my thoughts. "He will ride with me."

I was slightly surprised at the , almost as if he had accepted Dark. I would have smiled, but he would have said something I didn't want said in front of the shade.

"Are you sure?" I inquired, wondering at his motives.

"This horse has carried thrice the weight in armor for both itself and rider into battle. Another person won't slow us down at all."

"Seems logical. What do you think?" I directed toward the Link still standing.

"If that is what you wish." He took a step toward the warhorse, which stood nearly seventeen hands tall at the withers. He looked at the stallion, not altogether sure about it. Sheik peered down from the saddle, pondering his next words.

"Would you like help up?" he offered, extending his open hand down to Dark.

"I'm… fine," he replied curtly.

"It is quite easy to see that you are not. Is something wrong?"

"I just don't like riding horses, that's all."

"I see," Sheik replied. I could tell Sheik wanted to know why, but he left the subject alone. I was interested myself, but that would be a story for another day, if ever.

"Well, would you rather we walk?" I asked. Evidently I had unwittingly spoken in a rather distasteful tone, as Sheik's reply made clear.

"You're attitude leaves something to be desired, Link," Sheik warned, his eyes flashing to me.

"What did I do?"

He was about to say something, but was interrupted. Dark reached his hand up and grabbed Sheik's extended wrist, fitting his foot into the stirrup, and hoisted himself onto the saddle in a surprisingly graceful manner for one who was out of favor with equestrianism. I found it a little odd that he was not as fond of horses as me. Probably something he had experienced after the separation. I shuddered at the thought of what it might be.

_It doesn't do to think like that._

"Ready to go?" I wondered aloud, quieting the tiny voice in my head.

Dark situated himself, careful to keep himself as far to the back of the saddle as he could manage. He seemed uncomfortable, and was made worse twice over as he tried to shrink himself so as not to crowd the other passenger. He rather gripped the edges of the saddle with his thighs and clawed at the fringes in the leather than lay his body against the rider in front of him. Whether it was because he didn't want to, or he didn't want to offend Sheik, I couldn't be certain. I had started Epona at a lethargic mosey, waiting for the other two.

"You're going to fall off if you sit like that," Sheik commented as he fingered the reigns, not even turning around.

"I'll be fine."

"You're going to regret it."

"I said, I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself."

Sheik whipped the reigns, and the horse jolted forward, blazing past Epona in a few strides. As he had predicted, the jarring motion of the horse's gallop bucked Dark right out of his seat, propelling him off the horse's back. Sheik yanked on the reigns, his mount's hooves making deep grooves in the grass, scraping to a halt.

Sheik turned around in the saddle, looking at Dark, who had managed to land on all fours, his brow arched in a told-you-so look. "Now, are you going to ride correctly, or are you going to walk?" he inquired in torpid sarcasm.

Dark stood up, dusting himself off. He made a dejected face, prompting me to reply in his stead.

"You meant to do that, didn't you?" I demanded of Sheik.

"I told him."

"You didn't have to jump into a gallop."

"Would you rather him fall off when swiftness IS key? Perhaps when we are pursued by thieves would be a more opportune time."

I couldn't reply. He DID have a point, and I couldn't argue, even though it didn't seem like a necessary thing to do.

Sheik offered his hand back down to Dark, who took it without word. Dark seemed to understand, and held no outward sign of resentment toward the assassin. In fact, he had taken Sheik's hand more readily this time. Odd. Perhaps he was beginning to come around?

Dark situated himself farther up on the saddle, the front of his torso leaning against the curve of Sheik's back, circling his arms around the rider in front of him. Sheik shivered slightly. Dark seemed to notice.

"I apolo-" he began, but Sheik cut him short.

"Don't. You're just a little… chilly, is all. You not having body heat." Dark didn't respond, which was for the better. The mask about the royal guard's head moved slightly, and I had a feeling that he was smiling. I had a sudden realization. He had done it so Dark would embrace him.

_So THAT'S why. You tricky devil._

***

We had made some good progress over the day, but it was still a ways to Kokiri forest as dusk began to fall.

Both horses came to a halt. "We'll break for camp here," I said. Dark eagerly hopped off. I'm fairly certain it was the proximity to the horse rather than Sheik. I had noticed him holding on a bit less begrudgingly as the day progressed, and I ALMOST thought I had seen his hands drifting once. Sheik didn't object at all. I had even felt jealous for a moment, but then I realized that I was being envious of myself, which I found to be a little paradoxical. An out of body experience of sorts, and a rather pleasant one at that.

We had set up, a fire burning happily in the grass. I offered to go for the hunt, but Dark had simply refused to allow it. He presented himself as a substitute; under the thinking that it would matter less if he was mortally wounded, as only he would die, rather than both of us. I had protested with the fact that the chances of death on a simple hunting trip were astronomically insignificant, but he didn't bother to listen to most of my argument.

"You're being difficult, you know that?" I said, tending to the crackling, smoldering branches, the flames devouring the dry wood shavings, igniting the sticks laid over them.

"I am simply being cautious," came the eerily similar voice from behind me. Had a blind man been present, he would have assumed some sort of trickery or ventriloquism.

"I thought you said you dealt in probabilities."

"I do. In this instance, even the tiniest chance is significant."

I sighed lightly. He wasn't going to back down. Still, I decided to plead my case. I didn't feel right about him going to gather food when it was my duty in turn. I had become pampered, food being brought to me by Sheik or Dark for the past days. Even the horses, who were grazing off in the distance, had to get their own sustenance.

I prodded the heart of the fire with a stick, which began to burn at the tip. "Well, I just think it would do you good to have to stay put for a while. You should take it easy, you had a rather nasty tumble earlier."

I twisted my head to see what the Dark would say, only to find an empty space where Dark had just been. Instead, I only found Sheik who was sharpening his knives over by his mount hohurse

"When did he leave?"

"Before you had even started your last statement."

My nose scrunched in sarcastic frustration. "You didn't bother to mention it why?"

"I wasn't a part of the conversation."

"You could have still told me before I wasted my breath."

"Strange concept."

"I hope you cut your fingers open."

"That's not a nice thing to say."

An hour went by in silence. The last rays of the sun were just barely peeking over the horizon, and the land grew dark from the shadow of Death Mountain.

_What's taking him so long?_

It wasn't much longer before I saw Dark's hat bobbing up over the crest of the hill. He was approaching fast, as if he had news of something important.

"Oi, what's up? We're almost out of w-" I called as he plodded along, interrupted only in the notation that his steps only quickened, in an all out sprint like a Keese out of hell.

"PEAHATS!" He yelled, not bothering to stop, the Doppler effect slightly but noticeably shifting the pitch of his voice as he passed by.

A buzzing noise, the telltale whirr of a full-grown peahat filled the quiet night air. Then… another, and another… and then several more, joined by a much higher-pitched hum.

"What in the world-" I began, standing up, my line of sight overcoming the slight crest of the hill. My voice dropped out.

There, hovering up the slope angrily, was an entire clutch of peahat infants. I counted a good dozen or so, swarming madly. But that was nothing compared to what lay just beyond, still at the foot of the hill.

Five of the mature rotary vegetables were flanked by wings of eight or so children each. The mass of swirling blades seemed to be centralized around one large general area, meaning only one thing…

Their queen was here, and she was not happy.

To confirm my fears, the swarm abated for only a moment, becoming two distinct groups, both fluttering on either side of the largest peahat I had ever seen. The blades were each at least eight feet long, the giant bulb head more massive than the largest of the cows at Lon Lon.

I looked over at Sheik and exclaimed "RUN!"

There was no hesitation from any present. In less than a moment, both Sheik and I were tearing after Dark, who was several fathoms ahead.

My legs didn't carry me as fast as I had hoped. Sheik soon streaked past me, and I put my fingers to my lips, a short, loud whistle escaping. A thundering of hooves could be heard in the distance.

The peahats buzzed furiously, like a swarm of massive, sword wielding bees.

A wolf cried somewhere far off, as the very tip of the bright, orange moon overcame the far end of the earth, and my heart dropped. The field at night was a dangerous place…

A loud scraping noise pierced the chilling air, and the verdant dirt between the horses and us three exploded in a flurry of flailing claws and bone, like a horde of skeletal moles.

_Stalchildren. Ooo, I hate Stalchildren. _

Skeletons in front, peahats behind… this was not turning up to be a good evening. Boxed in, we three came sliding to a halt, and I drew the Master sword. The resounding rub of metal was lost amid the buzzing. Sheik followed suit, as well as Dark.

I turned to see the plant creatures floating ever closer.

Back to back to back, we formed a triangle. Two of us with shields, it was a nearly impermeable defense from one side. It was decided; Dark and I take care of the peahats, Sheik taking on the stalchildren.

The frigid clack of bones splintered the air. The skeletal rogues were upon us, the slashing petals only a few seconds behind. I raised the shield up to meet the blade-like appendages.

All at once, both Dark and I were forced back in a jolt, propelling Sheik directly into the Stalchildren at a high speed, straight into the grimy, decayed claws of the stumbling cadavers.

_Perfect._

Sheik caught himself into a run, just as had been expected. He ducked low below the slashing nails, quickly slicing several of the spinal columns with perfect precision. He gracefully sheathed one knife in a rapid snap, several needles replacing them. At first I hadn't noticed them, but he moved so fast, I didn't catch He twirled the needles between his fingers, the clicking lost in the other ruckus, and pitched them forward, the metal shining dully in the rising moon.

In the same instant, both Dark and I shoved forward, causing the revolving tendrils to break apart, much like wood. They splintered, the floppy leaves now useless, sagging down to the ground. I lowered my shield arm, slashing the underside of the now off-balanced elders.

One of the offspring charged forward, now aiming at the tiny crack in the shielding enough. It quickly spun sideways, the blades now hazing a downward slash. Just enough to get through.

I raised my right leg, curling it up just enough to catch Dark in the lower back. I pushed him back, hard, forcing us both in opposite directions just as the lethal slashing of the stems came whistling back from where our heads had been only a moment . I caught myself in a self-induced roll to duck out from a midlevel blow from another stem. Slashing the , I .

Dark was taking care of his own little horde of creatures, and he was much farther along than I was. He had only one adult and two hatchlings left. Glancing momentarily, I saw Sheik had already dispatched the rest of his share, and was coming to my rescue. I COULD have handled it, but I'd rather not risk it.

Just in time too; Sheik leapt high into the air, coming down like a specter in the ghostly moonlight just as two of the hatchlings swarmed. Sheik landed just short, slashing one out of the air as I already had the Master flying toward the other.

And that's when I screwed up.

The very tip of the blade had been raised too high. The whipping foliage simply batted the broadside of the sword, leaving my face open for the other stems to rip into shreds. I was, for all intents and purposes, I was doomed.

Of course, I had been 'doomed' many times before, and I had survived somehow up until now.

And my saving grace caught it, once again.

The furious pealet all of a sudden had a sudden seizure, it appeared to me, and was jerked to the side seemingly on its own accord. The few inches difference saved me, the razorleaves gliding so close to my face, I felt the slicing wind burn my skin.

The pealet dropped in altitude rapidly as it passed by. I knew what had happened.

I looked over at Dark, who had just finished with his final foe, standing stark still, the his arm extended. I could barely see it in the meager light that the fireplace, still several fathoms away. In his hand, he held that dark bow. The strand glistened in the combined light of the fire and sky, giving it a peculiar red twinkling.

I stood up straight, the impaled hatchling finally hitting the ground after several dying twists in the air.

But the air was not quiet.

There was one more….

Dark hurried up to meet Sheik and I, all three of us behold the mammoth queen of the peahats.

The giant, orange, bulbous vegetable had stayed back for the initial encounter, but had resumed its charge after the others were felled. The loud whoosh sounded more like trees than stems.

Dark took charge seconds earlier than I had been planning. Instead, he decided that it would be most prudent to dodge underneath and go for the soft underbelly, making a long trail of green ooze open up from the fruit-like skin. The bulb recoiled, increasing altitude rapidly. Tilting to the left, Sheik and I moved as one. Both leapt up and over the huge leave edges, landing with a forceful combo kick, driving the fluttering beast down to the ground, the blades driving deep into the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust. The head continued to spin, not quite ready for the sudden torque. Its leaves twisted and cracked, the head popping off, onto the ground, nothing more now that a large, quivering mass. And that was that.

Sheik stomped over to dark before the dust had even settled.

"What in the world did you do?"

"I went hunting," Dark responded as though it wasn't such a bad thing.

"Then why did you come trailing an entire clan of dangerous predators WITHOUT

"How can I hunt where there's no peahats?"

"What were you TRYING to hunt?"

"What else? Peahats are tasty."

"Wait…" Sheik's eye twitched as he came over a sudden realization. Astonishment quickly turned into anger.

"You meant to do that?" He asked coldly.

"Not really… I hadn't expected there to be an _entire_ clan. I was thinking just a few adults.

Sheik was dumbfounded. Crossing his arms, he glared at Dark for a moment or two. He swiftly raised his hand from the cross and flicked dark on the nose.

"Idiot."

Dark was right; Peahats _are_ tasty. We feasted like the royal family on a picnic.

I laid down on my back in the grass, my head resting in my interlocked fingers behind my head as I looked up at the moon, almost full to bursting from peahat stew. There was plenty more of the hats left, too… they'd go bad before we could eat them all.

_Such a shame._

The horses had since calmed down after the fight, and were sleeping off in the distance.

Dark had gone somewhere after the meal, I hadn't the slightest clue where. Sheik had been putting the last bit of wood on the fire.

I felt a light brush along my tunic, feeling something large and round coming to a rest upon my stomach. I looked down to see the two red cat eyes looking back up at me. I hadn't even noticed him.

"You really are a ninja."

Sheik closed his eyes, adjusting his head along my torso. He rubbed his face against me, nuzzling me with one side.

"Your stomach is grumbling. Did you not like the food?" He almost had a sorrowful look, as if my stomach had insulted his cooking.

"No, no, not at all. I liked it TOO much. I had far more that I should have," I explained quickly.

The subtle look of a crestfallen warrior still remained, but the corners of his mouth curled up in a sneaky feline smile.

"You're a lump."

"What do you mean?"

"I use you now as the most comfortable pillow I could ever desire, soft and round."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"Not at all. I'm calling you comfortable."

"Better."

His fingers played at my side, tickling my ribs. I grabbed his wrist gently, pulling his entire body along the ground roughly.

"Think Dark is coming back soon?" I asked suggestively.

"Perhaps," Sheik replied in an equally lewd tone. "You know what happened last time."

I did. After a quick check around, I concluded Dark was nowhere to be found. Sheik slid a little closer in acknowledgement.

My lips were nearly upon his, when I heard a faint squeak in the air, somewhere, something very familiar.

The magical flutter of a fairy.

For a moment, I thought first of Navi, the floating ball of blue suspended midair from those tiny, transparent wings. Realizing how incredibly improbable such was to be, I instead began to search around for what fairy may have made such a noise. We weren't that far away from Kokiri forest… maybe one had gotten lost?

Sheik had heard it too. At first, I thought he would be a little angry at my denying him a kiss, but he was just as intrigued by the fluttering.

A chirp like that of a cricket sounded right above my head.

I looked up, and there, floating, was the fairy. It hung there, silent, as if caught in time. It was slightly more orange than other fairies… which meant…

"Hello, Mobi."

"IT IS!" the ball shrieked. It took off, as though scared for it's life."Hey, MIDO! It IS Link!"

Out from the shadows stepped a child. His orange hair was unkept, but not altogether messy. The fairy danced around, pulling at some of the strands.

Standing proudly was Mido, boss of the Kokiri.

"So, Mr. Hero, back again to Kokiri forest?" he spoke nasally, stepping from the shadows into the glow of the fire. "We thought we heard something happening, good thing we came to check it out."

"Yeah," chimed in another voice, coming from the bushes. A rustling of leaves later, another Kokiri came into view, fairy in tow. It was Fado, the girl that had once lived next to me. "And you brought a guest… how cute." Her beaming face was the exact same as it had been way back when. I was surprised it hadn't frozen in place like that; then again, for all I knew it had. She was never without a smile as though everyday were the best day of her life. Not a bad philosophy, I'd suppose. "I hope those peahats weren't too much trouble."

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Hero didn't have any trouble at all," Mido noted mockingly. I guess he was still bitter towards me, just a bit. "So how have you been?"

I tilted my head, not wanting to get up. Sheik, however, pulled himself back. I think he was a little self-conscious.

"Like always. Saving the world. How're the others?" I asked, stretching myself as I got up from my would-be sleeping spot.

"Ask them yourself. They're all waiting for you back in the village."

I was surprised they had learned of us so quickly. Though, I suppose, an all out war against stalchildren and peahats is bound to be noticed.

_They may LOOK like children, but I'm glad they're on MY side._

(Kind of a rocky chapter, I just couldn't fit everything I wanted to say together in a good way. Little rough on the vocabulary... I basically had to come up with everything as it went along. Like I said, it all sprang from a tiny note on the side corner of a page. It took me a while to figure out who would be the one that went hunting, and I basically had to write it all three ways to figure out which one would work the best. It was a toss-up between Link and Dark, but from L's point of view, the 'oh shit' moment kinda got ruined. I think this was the best one, and that's the way I wrote it. Note: I KNOW that it wouldn't be called the Doppler effect, seeing as Chris Doppler didn't live in Hyrule. I actually got a comment about something like that in a novella I wrote a while ago. It fit, though, so I decided to use it.

I almost think of Epona as an actual character, with human-like qualities. Makes her special in a sense, I suppose ^_^ Thanks to those of you who've left comments. I've realized that the more feedback I get, the more motivated I am to write the next chapter. Seems kinda selfish, I know… but that's kinda why this chapter took so long. Only got one review on the last chapter T.T Not the ONLY reason, I've been pretty busy lately. School, mostly. Probably not going to get the next chapter done for a while, cause I had a bunch of moderate-severely critical exams coming up in the next couple weeks.

In pace, ut Sheikah, aptarit idonea bello.

[In peace, like a Sheikah, he appropriately prepares for war.] – Adapted from Virgil

Thanks for reading.)


	8. Chapter 8

(Apologies for the lateness of this chapter to all of those who were waiting for it. I won't explain the temporary hiatus, I will merely say that I express regret. I didn't know I had so many eager fans ^_^ Hope you like it.)

Chater VIII

The walk back to Kokiri forest was not a quiet one, with two hyper-energetic fairies and two children. Questions buzzed back and forth, often not regarding eachother. It was extremely confusing keeping the questions straight with the supplicant. Sheik was not in a talkative mood. I instead had my arm around his shoulder, keeping him rather close. He did seem a little on edge, and I knew exactly why. Dark had found us, and was following somewhere in the trees. I had only seen the red glow of his eyes from the trees in a fleeting dash, but he had decided not to reveal himself. Which, I suppose, was for the better. It would be a little difficult to explain. They were still children, after all… some would scare easily.

"So, Link, I suppose you don't have a wife, huh?" Fado asked innocently as they walked, her smile still beaming. She often times said things that seemed a little awkward. I could feel Sheik's body tense, as if she had been implying something.

"Nope, not yet," I replied simply, carefree. "Why?"

"Well," Fado continued, "it's just we all thought you and Saria were going to get married one day."

Mido huffed loudly.

"Even you, Mido."

"Yeah, well… now that she's a sage, she can't marry anybody. Not even the Great hero, ya know."

I smiled. "I know that."

"Well… would you have if you had the chance?" Fado cut in before Mido had a chance to respond.

"I'm not sure. I can't tell what things would be like if some things had turned out differently, I am no prophet. All I know is that I have fallen in love with someone else now."

"That's nice." she posed simply, as if it were an everyday occurrence. Her smile didn't even waiver as she continued. "Is it him?" She indicated Sheik with a nod of her head.

Sheik pulled away from me.

"Yes, it is." I tightened my arm around him, pulling his

"No, its not," Sheik grumbled out loud, wedging his shoulder

"That hurt, Sheik."

Sheik placed his head directly next to mine, whispering so low nobody other than I could possibly hear.

"You WANT to display your personal life to everyone?"

"They do not understand the true meaning of love. They are children yet, and they forever shall remain so," I responded in an equally hushed tone. "They do not think of such the same way as we do."

In a crime of opportunity, I quickly kissed him on the cheek. He jerked his head away, looking back at me in disgust.

As his focus was on my head, I slid my hand down his firm stomach, passing on the warm inside of his waist and thigh. His eyes expanded in what seemed to be momentary pleasure as I felt a pulse under my fingers, but was soon replaced by a rather mean look. The kind that, if Sheik ever gave it to you, you would most definitely be either dead or in serious pain if you didn't stop whatever it was you were doing to piss him off. That included me. I released his soft flesh.

"You two are funny," Fado observed. Her fairy had glided slightly closer.

"Would you two like some privacy? You both seem… restless." The squeaky voice censored itself, clearly guarding the purity of the children.

Sheik's tone had become incredibly annoyed and almost menacing. "I thought you said they didn't understand."

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "The Kokiri do not. Fairies do, they've been around for centuries."

I felt his slim but steel-like fist contact my arm in the same spot it had many times already. I was beginning to bruise, surely.

"That's alright. I'm sure we can control ourselves," Sheik mentioned aloud to the winged starlet.

_Hopefully._

The ball floated away, tucking itself into a flap of Fado's hair.

***

Although the night was already late, a mixture of the moonlight and torches illuminated the home of the Kokiri as if it were daylight. As we all made our way through the large hole that served as the entrance, one of the three red-headed brothers was sitting the nightly watch.

"Heyo, Remi," called Mido, voice echoing off the woody tube gateway. "Make way for Mr. Hero."

Remi jumped, clearly startled at the sound of the Boss. He rubbed at his eyes; he had clearly been asleep on duty. Mido would have been furious had it not been a joyous occasion.

"Is it him?" Remi asked, his own blue fairy slipping out of his hat. "It is! Link's back!"

And then, as if on cue, all the other Kokiri seemed to appear out of thin air. They seemed to do that a lot, like a swarm of bugs.

And then I saw him. There, off in the shadowy wood, the sallow visage of Dark was barely visible. He was staring over at some of the Kokiri, and I could tell he would have like nothing better than to walk out from the brush and greet his childhood friends. He refrained, and slowly slinked back into the dense foliage silently. I thought I could see the very beginnings of a disappointed frown start before he vanished into the darkness.

After nearly an hour of greetings and pleasantries, I decided to find Mido, who had become lost in the crowd. Sheik and I were sitting side by side at another table, answering a bombardment of questions, recanting tales.

"You're lucky, Link," admired a Kokiri.

"All your adventures just sound like so much fun," piped in another.

"Yeah, the world just sounds so BIG, and we can only travel to just outside the forest," inserted Fado, who was sitting to my left.

I rolled my eyes. They still believed that they were confined to the Forest, or they would die. But wait…

"You went outside the forest just earlier, and you didn't die… why can't you go any further?" I asked the beaming girl.

"Oh.. it's not quite that simple. You see, the Deku Tree Sprout cast a magical spell on me and Mido that allows us to go only slightly farther than the edges of the forest, and it wears off after a few hours," she replied.

"And you actually believe that?" Sheik asked in a combination of sarcasm and annoyance as he raised a fork of food to his mouth. I punched him hard in the leg under the table, giving him the message to shut the hell up. The blow caused him to drop the victuals balanced precariously upon the wooden prongs of the utensil, dropping them into a puddle of gravy, which splattered onto his blue clothing. Sheik didn't seem happy about that.

I took this opportunity to get up. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." I sidestepped the tables that had been set up, with mountains of food piled higher than even I stood that towered over the Kokiri. It almost would seem as a huge waste of food… but it slowly by slowly was reduced. If there were one aspect of the Kokiri that I could put into a history book, it would be that they are a voracious lot. I was never able to understand how such small people could consume so much during a celebration, many times more than even the most ravenous of full grown adults could ever hope to stuff down. It was a mystery of the forest that I had deemed long ago to be one that would remain uncovered.

Amid the chatter back and forth, the shrills of the faries buzzing through the air, the laughter, and the music that had begun to play, I managed to hear the loudest Kokiri of all.

Mido was sitting at a table with two of the Red Brothers, obviously telling some tall tale. Even if they lacked any shred of truth, Mido's fibs were nevertheless entertaining. Always some recollection of him performing some courageous, heroic act. It was no doubt how he had become the Boss; his gift over language was incredible. He used aggressive hand motions and other large gestures that gave one the sense that he were actually telling the truth.

"…the peahats were closing in, that buzz so loud it sounded like I had stuck my head into a beehive. And so I took a stick from the ground and leapt into the air, breaking the stick I hit the thing so hard. Sap and juices everywhere. After a few well placed dodges, I rammed both sharp ends right up its-"

"I think that's enough of your story for now," I interrupted. Mido gave me a face that seemed as though I had just barged in on a Royal Wedding.

"I was just getting to the best part."

"It will have to wait, I have a request to ask of you."

"Oh? The great Hero needs help from little old me?"

"Well…. Sort of."

Mido considered the prospect, mulling over how he could spin this into another story. He waved his hands at the brothers, who vacated the table quickly. Mobi the fairy popped out from under his green hat, flying a lazy pattern through the air.

"Anything for you, Mr. Hero. What is it that I can do for you?"

"Well… I actually wanted your permission to speak to Mobi."

The ball stopped in mid-orbit of Mido's head.

"Is that so? What, pray tell, would you want from my fairy? You got one, didn't you? Navi?"

"Oh hush, Mido. Navi has since departed on her own journey." The orb floated closer with a small squeak. "What can I do to assist you, O destined one?"

"Well… I was actually wondering… if you knew where Navi might be?"

"I just told you. She's on a mission given to her by the Great Fairy of the North. Why?"

"I really must speak with her, it is fairly urgent."

"Convenient, you have come just today. I received word that a phase of the mission has just been completed. All of my brethren that were taking part will return to the Fountain for recuperation and to receive their next orders this evening."

"Where exactly is the fountain?"

"Far to the north."

"The one at the top of Death Mountain?"

"No, that one is the mid-northern fountain. Navi is even farther north, midway through the Plains of the Last Resistance."

"Plains of last resistance?" I had never heard of such a place. "That can't be a part of Hyrule… can it?"

"No, it is most definitely not." It had been a while since I had talked to a fairy, and the high-pitched, rapidfire speech was a little difficult to understand. Nevertheless, I was glad such a conversation was taking place. "The Death Mountain range is the northern border of Hyrule, and anything past it is considered to be the badlands, until you go SO far you eventually meet the land of Termina. But that is much farther than most anyone has ever gone, it is simply too much of a bother. Not even trade travels between the two lands, there are far too many obstacles to make such a trip worthwhile. They say that there is a secret portal that just sort of pops you there in the Lost Woods, but as of my memory, nobody has ever found it."

"Termina, eh? I never knew there were countries other than Hyrule… just land, flat and far as the eye can see." I recalled an excursion I had made to the very tip top of Death Mountain, looking out in every direction. I had seen no countries, but I had been impressed to see that the planet was indeed vast.

"That 'land' that you CAN see is the plains. You only see a small bit of it though; there is MUCH more to go," informed Mobi.

My heart sunk. If these vast expanses of land were only a fraction of how far the journey would really be… this expedition was shaping up to be pretty epic.

"How long do you think it would take to get to this fountain?" I inquired, hoping to hear a relatively small number.

"For you… probably two weeks of near-constant riding, one way. Far too long a time to make it there before Navi is sent back out for the next mission."

It felt as if a rather angry animal had just dug its claws into my brain. I had been hoping for a different, slightly more positive answer.

"But…" Mobi murmured as if about to spill some classified information, "also for you, I would happily make the journey and request Navi's presence on your behalf. We fairies have an incredible talent for speed. She's been rather sad ever since she had to leave… I'm sure the Great Fairy will grant her a few days leave to see her former companion. "

My ears perked up in glee at the squeaking ball, and I felt like hugging it. Probably wouldn't have been a great idea; I would have crushed my only hope of seeing Navi.

"Well… I would have to ask Mido," I pointed out, turning my face to the Kokiri, who had been left out of the conversation. "After all, you're still the Boss."

"That's right I am. And don't you forget it," Mido chimed in, sounding rather grateful at the inclusion into the conversation. "What's in it for me?"

"How about a story you can tell?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I agreed. I felt like a snake, but goading Mido's ego was always an easy way in. "About how you helped save not just Hyrule… but the entire world."

Mido's eyes lit up at the prospect, practically salivating like a dog. "No tricks?"

"None at all. I'll even tell you how it'll all happen in the time Mobi is gone, fair?"

"Fair as Queen Zelda."

I felt a pang in the back of my head at the ambiguity of the statement. Indeed, she was quite fair in looks. Her politics, however, were a much different story. But here in the forest, news of the kingdom seldom ever reached the Kokiri. They were most likely unaware of the outrageous turns the kingdom had taken.

"Good." I tilted my head back to Mobi. "How long will you be?"

"I think we'd be back in… two, no… more like three days."

I was shocked at the short time. "There and back in three days?"

"Like I said, we fairies have a knack for speed."

***

The festivities were all but over. I was alone, putting away the last of the tables when Sheik happened by. His silent steps went unnoticed, I was far too absorbed in the work. I was rather tired, ready for a good night's sleep. He managed to get up behind me without alerting me, his footsteps lighter than a feather.

I DID notice, however, when I felt a bandaged finger slide across the back of my neck from left to right. My back contorted in a spasm of ticklishness.

I dropped the wooden table, and I heard a crack that could only mean one thing…. I'd be fixing something tomorrow. Looking down, two of the legs had broken completely off of the wooden table.

"Nice going, Hero."

"You asshole."

"Mm."

"You meant to do that, didn't you?"

"Me? Never," Sheik defended unconvincingly.

"I guess that means we're even?"

"Maybe. You desecrated the sacred garb of the Sheikah."

"Desecrated? You make it sound like I dressed a cow in it and burned it alive."

"You do have an imagination."

I propped up the remnants of the table. "In more ways than one," I murmured to myself, sure that Sheik wouldn't hear.

"Would you care to demonstrate, then?" Sheik responded slyly.

_Dammit. I forgot how good his hearing is. _

"Only if you can wait until later. We still have to go see Dark."

Sheik looked around slowly, sure that none of the Kokiri were listening. "He's out in the lost woods, sitting in a tree."

"K-i-s-s-i-n-g," I finished the childish rhyme.

He gave an expression of disappointment mixed with boredom. He raised an eyebrow, the mask moving ever so slightly.

"I'll shut up now," I added, not needing to hear the same words from Sheik.

"Thank you."

I hadn't neglected the thought that Sheik had suspiciously been able to locate Dark without even looking; he always knew stuff like that. I didn't even care how or why, I had stopped asking such questions a long time ago.

I inspected the table for a minute or two longer, amd realized that it was no use. I simply flipped it over and left it in the grass; I'd fix it the next day.

***

I soon realized how Sheik had been able to approximate Dark's location. As we both hiked through the trees, I could hear the faint echoes of an ocarina flying through the forest. Reminded me of how I had found Saria in the Sacred meadow for the first time.

The melody guided us through the thickets of pine, where our eyes could not. Only a faint lunar radiance permeated the deep wood, barely enough to aid in the dodging of tree roots and branches. At one point when the moon hid behind the clouds like a tricky little skull-kid, I was nearly clotheslined by an overhanging limb. I could feel the needles crunching underneath my boots, so thick it was as a blanket had been laid upon to earth by Mother Nature to protect her child from the cold, harsh winters that inevitably were to come. The sweet smell of sap and minty air that rustled through the forest enveloped us enjoyably, as my arm found its way around Sheik's waist as we dragged on, the faint tune slowly becoming louder and clearer. This time, he did not try and pull away, on the contrary; he snuggled up closer.

"You want to know something?" he said softly, and I turned to look at him. It wasn't usual for him to ask such a leading question; it was not in his usual personality. His eyes seemed fixed on something that seemed just in front of him, and yet out of reach.

"Hmmm?" I responded, waiting for his next words.

WHACK. I felt as if I had run into a wall, my arm slipping from around Sheik as I found myself tumbling backwards into the soft bedding of needles with a very crunchy thump. Perhaps he had simply been looking at the tree that WAS just in front of him.

"Now we're even." He continued on without so much as stopping to check if I was alright.

"You meant for that to happen," I groaned as I stumbled to my feet, rubbing the side of my face that had contacted the rough bark of the tree, picking the thin needles out from my hair.

He halted his forward motion, and turned to me with a rather harsh stare. "And so what if I did? You should have been paying more attention," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Wow, Sheik. You really ARE an asshole."

"You really know how to flatter someone, don't you?"

"You should hear the Red Brothers. They'll nag and insult and bitch until your head pops off. I swear they have some kind of telepathic link, the way they tag-team."

Sheik's head turned up. "Listen," he whispered, drawing a knife from one of his waist sheaths.

I listened hard, a little on edge. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly. No music."

He was right; the whistle of the ocarina had ceased. I drew my sword, wondering what the problem could be. Had Dark heard them? More important still… did he know it was us?

I saw the telltale red orbs in a tree about ten, perhaps seven or eight fathoms away. I heard the unmistakable nock of a bow.

"WAIT," I shouted as the red dots lunged from the tree. "IT'S US!"

But it was far too late. I heard a click, and knew I only had a moment to act before the release of one of his arrows. Sheik had already dodged to the side behind a pine, and I couldn't even hope to undo my shield's harness from around my back quick enough. I shoved my hand in my satchel, and felt the metal ringed handle. I heard the twang of the string, and the arrow flew through the air. I didn't even bother pulling the hookshot out of the bag; I tilted it sideways, and pressed the release mechanism. The hook ripped a hole in the bottom of the bag and shot out the side. A sudden jolt and I was off my feet, flying off at a tree that had been hooked. I felt the fletching of the arrow brush against my leg.

I stuck my feet out under me, scraping to a halt. My boots dug into the hard dirt as it ripped up the neat needle turf, creating small piles about my ankles. The hook dislodged from its wooded target, and sent a slight shock up my arm as it recoiled.

The loud THOK of the bolt embedding itself deep into the tree resounded through the dark forest, echoing several times before finally dying in the abyss of the night.

The moon lazily slunk from its place behind the clouds, revealing a rather petrified looking Dark, his head spinning like a top to see where we had gone.

"What in the HELL were you thinking?" Yelled Sheik, stomping his way from behind the pines. "Are you TRYING to kill us?!"

He stalked up to Dark, who took several tentative steps back. It was no use; Sheik simply took a large stride, closed the distance, and sideswiped him on the head, much like he had done to me once when I had 'accidently' set an enchanted bombchu after him. What he HADN'T known was that the 'chu had the detonator removed. It had hurt a significant amount. Dark dropped like a ragdoll as he was swept off his feet by the swift blow, a strange yelp dying in his throat as he was knocked completely sideways. He may not have looked it, but Sheik was a terrifyingly strong man. Most didn't get the message by seeing his slender figure; they had to figure it out by getting their asses handed to them on a silver platter. I had been little different in our brief childhood together. Such a small boy, Sheik had been. Almost as small as my ego had been after he crushed me in a grappling match.

I decided it was time to intervene, before all that was left was a mushy puddle of Dark.

"Oi, leave him alone," I suggested as I approached. "Nobody got hurt, right? Then there's nothing to worry about."

"Speak for yourself, Link! That could have easily killed either one of us," Sheik scoffed, clearly ready to exchange some rather painful words with Dark, who was lying on the ground limply.

"Yes, but it didn't." I kneeled down, placing my hand on Dark's shoulder, shaking him slightly. When he didn't respond, I turned my head up to Sheik, who was standing above us, arms crossed. "I think you knocked him out."

"Wimp. I didn't hit him THAT hard."

"I could hear it way over there like a drum! You might have given him a concussion."

"He deserved it."

"You have to be gentle with him, he was simply reacting as he saw fit. You know what he's been through… he still needs time to adjust."

"I'll 'adjust' him _real_ quick," Sheik snapped, still clearly angry.

I felt the lump stir under my hands.

"I think he's coming around. Promise you'll be nice, alright?"

"Whatever," he said disinterestedly.

Dark gave a series of low moans that sounded as if he were in either a state of horrible pain or insurmountable pleasure. I concluded that the latter was not incredibly likely.

"What…" he started, eyes still closed.

"Don't move," I encouraged. "Just lay still for a moment, until we know you're alright." I carefully rolled him onto his back.

"Oh, you're hopeless, Link," Sheik stated rather bluntly, and he too kneeled down next to Dark. His bandaged fingers worked quickly, feeling around Dark's neck and head. After a minute or so, he had finished his physical examination. "How do you feel?" he asked down to Dark. Following my advice, his voice had taken a much less sharp tone. I had only heard him speak even remotely like this to me.

"Ow…" he mumbled, his hand slowly sliding to his head as his lids fluttered open, revealing those brightly burning fires. "Did I… hit someone?"

"No," I answered in a near whisper. "Everyone's fine."

"Speak for yourself," the shade groaned. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh.

"Now Dark, you can't just go around shooting arrows at anything that moves, you know."

"I know… I just… it's so much like before…"

"Before?" Sheik cut it. "What before?"

"The darkened forest…so long ago…" His voice had become completely hollow, as if hypnotized and lost in a dream at the same time.

"What happened?"

"…They came.. they burned everything, killed everything…"

"Who did?"

"The demons… of the Black King…"

Sheik's eyes narrowed. "What else did they do?"

"They killed… they pillaged… they kidnapped… women, children, animals, elderly… everything…"

"What did you do?"

Dark was silent, but Sheik persisted.

"What did you do?" he repeated.

"…I tried to save them."

"Tried?"

"…there were too many… I could only get the "

Tears had begun to pour down Dark's face, scattering the eerie glow of his eyes, dazzling displays of red glimmering about the ground.

"And what did they do?"

"..They recaptured me… and took me back to the King…"

Sheik's face was now practically on top of Dark's now, his nose only a few inches away from the flowing eyes.

"That's enough, Sheik," I said, grabbing his wrists in my hand, trying to pull him off of Dark.

"What did he do?" Sheik said, completely disregarding my comment.

"Sheik, stop."

"He told the guards… I was to be punished… for running away…"

"That's enough Dark," I tried again.

"He told them to make me wish for death…"

"What did they do?" Sheik insisted.

Dark's tears had begun to slide down his thin, pallid neck, soaking his faded black tunic. "They…"

I yanked at Sheik's arms, trying with all my might to make him let go.

"…they had their way… with my body…"

I stopped at the moment the words had left his lips.

_Did he just say what I think he said?_

Sheik obviously had heard the same, his eyes widening in horror, his grip loosening, releasing Dark, who had begun to sob uncontrollably.

"They…" Sheik began as an aloud thought to himself.

"DON'T you finish that sentence Sheik," I yelled rather loudly. I looked back down at Dark, who had curled his head down, his arms around his face as if ashamed at showing such emotion in front of others. I went to put my hand comfortingly on his shoulder, but Sheik stole my wrist away from me, grabbing it just a moment before.

"Don't touch him… it won't do right now," he whispered low, pulling me aside so Dark wouldn't hear. "You know how he flinches… it might trigger a memory."

The pathetic figure on the ground had turned onto his side, squirming in his skin as if trying to get away from himself. I felt an unbounded sympathy for him, wishing I could do something, ANYTHING, to ease his pain. But all I could do was stay silent.

The sobs died down, and Dark became calm once again. He had stopped contorting as if being attacked by a swarm of ants, and actually remained quite still, breathing slowly becoming more regular.

"I'm…sorry…" he stammered muffledly into his arms.

"Don't be," Sheik advised in a cool, calming tone. "You are not to blame for what happened to you. You are the victim."

"Does that make me pathetic? The fact that I wasn't able to help those people of the village? I couldn't even help myself. I could have… SHOULD have saved them…"

"You are not pathetic. The dark forces of Ganondorf were lawless, bloodthirsty heathens."

"I know how you feel, Dark," I added in the lapse in the exchange. "You feel as though your duty is to save the world and everything in it. There are times when I felt like I had let down the people, the goddesses, Hyrule itself. But it is impossible for you to save everyone from the clutches of evil. I used to think that being the Hero of Time meant having the power to save every person who was being hurt under the tyranny of evil. It is not. Being the Hero does not make you strong… it makes you wise. Wise enough to know who you can save…. And who you cannot. For every triumph, there must be sacrifice. You must remember those who fall in these sacrifices… it gives you the strength to make sure that they did not die in vain."

"But… _children_…"

"Women, children, family, friends… even your lover sometimes must fall for the greater good."

Dark became silent. Slowly, he pushed himself back up to his knees. I could see the tracks of the tears gleaming in the moonlight upon his pale face.

He sniffed loudly. His eyes seemed to be facing the ground… I could never tell exactly where he was looking, as his eyes had no irises, no pupils to give away direction. Just pure, fiery red.

"Feel better?" I inquired.

"No, but I understand now."

"Good. Now… you should get some rest."

"I am not tired, I will go hunt for you."

Sheik butted in. "NO. You will sleep now. We have already eaten, twice."

"Then I shall-"

"NO!" both Sheik and I shouted at once. "Sleep now."

Dark knew he wouldn't win, and he buckled under the influence. "Alright… if you both insist."

"We do."

I propped him up, his legs still a little shaky from Sheik's blow, and led him over to a tree trunk. Slowly, carefully, I let him down. Within a few minutes, he had already drifted to sleep. He must have been exhausted, not having slept to my knowledge since we had met days ago.

"What do you think about it?"Sheik

"About what?"

"About Dark," he said, motioning to the shade slumbering against the stump.

There were many things that I could think could have fit the particularly vague question. "What about him?"

I felt his hand smack me upside the back of my head. "About the fact that he was…" his voice faltered.

"…Raped by Ganon's minions?" I posed.

I could see Sheik's face contort behind his mask. "I do wish you wouldn't use that word. It's so….crude. Yes, that."

"Well… I think that's the reason he flinches. That, and the other tortures they must have inflicted upon him." I continued a long, hard stare at the strangely peaceful-looking Dark. "How many times do you think they forced him to-"

"I don't even want to think about that. Once, twice, a hundred times… it makes little difference. One time is far too many."

"You're right. It's a rather perverse thought. I'm ashamed I even considered it."

"What's done is done, it cannot be undone. We have to help him move past."

"Here's a slightly more related question," I said, altering the subject slightly. "Do you think that it's a factor about why he wanted so badly to kill himself?"

"Very likely. I'm sure it is, to some extent or another."

"They must have been hard on him, you know. Him being a part of me and all… they must have tried to humiliate him, hurt him as bad as they could. No wonder he seemed such a broken man."

"Inside and out," Sheik murmured sagely. "Every one of Ganondorf's minions would have wanted a piece of him. A punching bag."

"A sex toy."

"Indeed." Sheik shuddered at the thought. "Forcing him into such total submission just to make themselves feel better about themselves."

"I'm sure Ganondorf foresaw such happenings. He probably encouraged it. They dominate him so completely, it would make his soldiers more confident when sent to fight me. I just hope he didn't let the summoned creatures at him.

"Ganon wouldn't have been such a fool; the monsters would have killed him. No restraint at all, just a desire to kill. It is safe to say that he was not subjected to that torture."

"Little solace found there."

"Truth in every sense."

My mind wandered only for a moment, and I had wished it hadn't. I almost threw up the entire meal the Kokiri had prepared when I thought about how many soldiers must have committed such unspeakable acts upon Dark. "Well… he is safe now."

Sheik nodded his head. "He is with us. Somehow, this feels quite right, wouldn't you say? Almost as if…" He trailed off.

"…as if what?"

"Do you think that he is a piece of this puzzle?"

"You mean the prophecy?"

"Yes. The prophecy, the quest. Part of the solution to this darkness that has been foretold."

I thought for a moment. "I cannot tell. We will simply have to find out, won't we Sheik?"

_I can only hope._

(Apologies again for the tardiness of the chapter. I hadn't expected it to take quite so long, and I started just adding stuff in between notes. I had an idea of what I wanted, but…it sort of came out a little bit different, but I think I like it better this way.

Here's a question…. What would you guys think if the chapters starting shifting points of view? Not the next chapter, I don't think the next one would work so well. It's kinda Link-heavy for one or two more chaps, so I'd wait. But if I changed the point of view between Link, Sheik, and Dark, what would you think? I was kinda playing with the idea, sort of get more into the heads of the character and the way they think. I don't know… I just thought it'd be kind of a cool idea.

What I said before about reviews is true, its just I had a lot of 'stuff' to do recently. After I saw the three newest though earlier today, I basically said 'alright, I gotta get this next chapter done .' (yes, I made an actual . face) so I wrote the last 3500 words since then. Sorry for typos or sentences that kinda just end without an actual point. It's the way I write; I go back and add and subtract stuff, and sometimes I forget to finish sentences. Still looking for someone who wants to beta Aglyphis though ^_^ haven't really been proactive in a search, but oh well.)

"Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one Sheikah in bed at the same time."- Adapted from Frederic Raphael


	9. Chapter 9

(When the text changes font in between two sets of ***, the POV changes to Sheik. It'll only be for a page at most… just something to try out. Dark, however, will remain out of the viewpoint loop, but not out of the story completely.)

Chapter IX

The day's labors were beginning to take their toll on me; the sun was just nearly down. I was standing just beneath a tree, catching the fruit and dead branches that the Kokiri up in the tree were tossing down.

I heard a quick rustle, and my gaze took a turn up into the foliage high above… and was greeted by a rather large, green projectile hurtling at a rather unsafe speed toward me.

_Wow, I'd better catch tha-_

I didn't even get to finish the thought before the produce caught me squarely on the forehead, knocking me right off my feet into the soft grass below. The apple-like crop rolled innocently into the pile of dead sticks on the side.

In the split second of strange air-headedness that followed immediately followed the collision, a single thought went through my mind.

_I should've been able to catch that…_

It had been running through my mind ever since the encounter with the peahats. Had it not been for Dark, my head would have been split open like a melon, and Sheik would have had to bring my brains on a platter back to a rather pissed off queen, I might imagine. I could almost hear the argument.

"He was killed by a PEAHAT?!?!" the enraged queen would yell slightly too loud.

"In his defense, there were a lot of them."

"You twit, the 'Great Hero of Time' was struck down by a flying VEGETABLE! Figure out something slightly more heroic to tell the people."

"Struck down while in the line of duty herding sheep?" he would have replied, perhaps.

"Shut the fuck up." And Sheik would then be escorted, most likely, to be locked up in the dungeon.

And he would take it as a blessing.

It sort of pissed me off how Sheik's loyalty remained fast to Zelda even in the midst of all her horrendous actions. Yes, I knew he was bound by the blood oath of his ancestors to the Royal Family, and was forced to do whatever they ordered. But… it went just beyond that. No matter what his duty demanded of him, Sheik did it without emotion, without regret, and without hesitation. I knew the dark deeds he had been forced into… he hadn't been bestowed with the infamous title of Royal Dog for nothing. He had killed hundreds, perhaps thousands in person. Most in battle… but some were mere demonstrations of the power of the throne, as dictated by his psychotic leader. Never did I hear him speak of it, and never did I ask him. I didn't want to hear about it… how the object of my affection could ruthlessly murder for no reason other than the will of a bloodthirsty Army Commander or a demented monarch.

_I shouldn't think of Zelda in such a way…_

How I wished it were not so…

As I rubbed my forehead to ease the sting of the fruit, I knew it wouldn't be long before another encounter, even fiercer then the peahats, would present itself. Yes, I had become lazy in the years following the fall of Ganondorf. I would have to work on that… perhaps Dark would be up for some playful sparring later.

I thought for a moment… perhaps Dark would be a little too intense. Far too much potency all packed into one battle-hardened body, one that has never known restraint. Perhaps Sheik would be a slightly wiser choice. I didn't feel like breaking any bones this evening.

"Sorry about that," I heard one of the Red Brothers call from the tree.

Fado giggled girlishly. "Nice catch… I didn't know you're head doubled as a basket," she called from the high branches with her beaming smile.

"Ha ha, very funny," I mocked. "I'm fine, in case you were wondering."

"Not really, bud. I was more worried about the fruit; we're having a bad harvest this year," said another of the Brothers. I had never learned to keep their names straight; they were far too similar in appearance.

"Gee thanks. What's the problem, some kind of blight?"

"Dunno." Another rustle, and a branch fell out from the canopy. I reached out my foot and managed to catch it upon my boot before it touched the ground. The curved twig balanced right up against my ankle.

_Well… maybe I can give myself a little credit there._

My thoughts wandered for a moment… Sheik was off doing something; he had cunningly been able to avoid answering that same question when I had posed it earlier in the morning.

***

(Sheik)-

The cool water I had raised in a cup of my hands of the Sacred Meadow pool was just like his eyes. Those dazzling blue spheres…

The water trickled through my fingers, still a little pale from the wrappings I had just removed from them.

"How can he be so crass… she's the queen for heavens' sake," I mumbled, knowing none would hear me. Never been one for words, but his brusque manner forced me to take council with the spirits of the water. They would not answer… only listen.

"Why does this always have to be so difficult? It is never just simple enough… complications, complications. Not once could luck simply decide?"

For in my heart, I knew… One day, I would be forced to make a choice. One that had been decided from the start, before I had even been born. For love, or for honor?

I angrily slapped the water, the ripples of the pool distorting the reflection. The waves died down, the reflection of my own features glared back at me. My cowl was a little lopsided, and normally I would have fixed it. It doesn't do to wear the Sheikah garb so disrespectfully. But I didn't feel like it. Who was going to know?

I received my answer shortly.

There, in the pool, I saw my image, and the reflection of an eerily familiar figure. Tall, broad shouldered, black tunic, pale face, and glowing red eyes.

I nearly went headfirst into the pool, my balance teetered off as my body tightened in surprise.

But, just a moment before my face touched the still oscillating pond, I felt the strong grip of a gauntleted hand grab me by the scruff of my cowl. I was yanked backward gently, eased back into my own sense of balance. Immediately following regaining my posture, the iron grasp released.

I looked at the pallid visage, the silver hair in such contrast to the hat which sat atop it. It was strange… the tunic had faded over many years of use and wear… but the hat still remained pitch black, as if it had been sewn by Farore herself. Little known legend of the idol, but she was goddess of the Loom, who sewed together the life on the planet created by Din, the goddess of the Forge, and given meaning by Nayru, deity of the Book, in direct Sheikah translation. In common Hylian, Nayru was the goddess of the Quill, used to write books, or in some other less refined dialects, divinity of the written word.

The illuminated eyes stood out, but seemed… distant.

"Thank you," I said, hoping to open a line of conversation.

"Don't mention it. Is Link back yet?"

"No. He is working. Is something wrong?"

"No… I just believe I saw Navi in the forest."

_Navi? He can't be serious… why would she go to the forest? Mobi should have brought her to the village first._

"What reasoning do you have to believe so? It could simply be another fairy," I offered, hoping to make sense of his accusation.

"Sheik," the specter spoke softly, almost as if hurt. "I know my own fairy. She is one of the things from Link's childhood that I miss most dearly. Alas… even with her so close… I might as well be a thousand leagues away."

I bowed my head in understanding. "It was your childhood too, you know. If you are so sure, then we shall go and look for her. At a distance, of course."

"Of course," Dark echoed, as his head dipped dolefully.

"Don't worry," I assured him. "When the time is right… you will be able to see her."

His ears perked up. "You think so?"

"I will see to it. You have been isolated for so long; it is the cruelest of punishments to deny you that which you hold so dear, dangling it in your face only to pull it back when you reach for it."

I placed my hand on his shoulder, and felt a ripple in his muscle. A flinch, but so much less than it had been just a few days before.

"Now, let us go." I steered him away from the pool.

_What is this feeling?_

***

_Ungh… why is this so HEAVY?!?! _

I was hunched over, slowly shuffling my feet through the grass as I carried the huge bound stack of dead brush and sticks. I was practically kicking myself for not grabbing the Golden Gauntlets early in the morning. I had become rather accustomed to the magical assistance they offered.

_Oh well, the harder the work the better. Need to warm up for sparring later._

"Hey!"

Poof. Down.

I didn't even see it coming. I felt a smack on my left cheek that sent me reeling to the side. My fingers upon the rope lost their grip, and I felt the twang of cable snapping under stress. As I fell to the ground, a cascade of bark and timber fell like a copsical waterfall around me, submerging me in the dead, pokey branches.

I looked through the holes in the branches, only to see above me a single silver wing.

"Hello! Link!"

"You know, Navi… you have to work on your entrances," I mumbled into the mound of twigs that I was buried under.

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it.

"Listen, Link! Get up."

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!" I grunted loudly into the pile. That was NOT what I had wanted to hear. Her third sentence back, and already she was yelling at me. "Remind me again why I like you?"

"Hey, I'm only here for a short while, you know."

I quickly pushed the brush aside, and made it to my feet, still buried up to my knees in twigs.

There, I could see her at last. The glowing blue ball, the master of perfect mistiming, the most adventurous thing with two wings the world has ever seen, the bottomless pit of information, the semi-impeccable Navi.

Her hints were usually helpful… the first time. After that, not so much. And WHEN did she offer advice? At the worst time possible. In combat with an enemy? Yup. Trying to play magical tennis with Ganondorf? You betcha. Trying to find a key that I missed? NOT A CHANCE. Some just didn't make sense. What the hell is a c-button icon, anyway?

Either way, it was decided. I was glad to have her back. I felt a strange, glowing warmth as she came in for a fairy hug. It felt as if being snuggled by a starlet. Always a pleasant feeling.

I wouldn't tell Sheik, but I would have to be wary of Navi. She and I held a VERY deep secret, one that her actions often managed to make very un-secretive.

Hm… Perhaps I will confide in you.

I am horribly ticklish.

Navi never missed an opportunity to give me a hug, and most of the time, while I was recuperating on the ground, exhausted in every way after killing a swarm of stalchildren all evening. No potions, no bottled fairy spirits… Just waiting there, underneath the sun as it rose until until I gradually gathered up enough energy to get up myself. She always wanted to get me jumpstarted, and had come across the fact that whenever she hugged me in the ribs, I usually had enough energy to giggle like a little girl. A fact that I had NEVER ever even THOUGHT about telling Sheik. He would exploit that shit like an angry divorce settlement. Navi had never known of my fear of his learning about that particular fact, and in her own playfulness, often went for the ribs. I had managed to keep it a secret, but only after many months of learning to dodge her every attempt while around Sheik.

In her defense, it was the fairy way. She was mine, and fairies were bound to their partner's soul. She would always be there, as she always had done, repairing my battle damaged body. She healed my small wounds, of which there were many. But even her protection was very limited. It had kept me from certain death a few times. Had she not been there, I surely would have died from those bees on Death Mountain. I had survived the night with her assistance, and had flagged the rolling Goron down when he came rolling along. She had actually taken one of my bombs and chucked it at him, but it worked all the same. Course, it was her fault in the first place. Did she give me a little up-c hint, whatever that is? Nope. That little witch. .

But she was stuck to me, and she had performed her duty spectacularly. She had a very big stake in my life, one which I hoped to make transcend time. But that is for later.

I eyed the little buzzing ball warily. She would strike at the worst moment. She was like that.

As she withdrew from the sensational embrace, she flittered away and up over my temple, her wing brushing against the tip of my pointy ear. I felt a tug on my hat, lifting it up and away. I looked up just as the shadow of my hat eclipsed my face with the high sun.

"You, madam, are the one wasting time."

"Oh come on, I have a LITTLE while."

How've you been?"

"Busy. The Great Fairy keeps us all busy, little fairy missions. It's been getting worse lately… the amount of healing that we do is on the rise. We have to help grow plants to replenish the ones that were burned in Zora's domain. We're sworn to complete secrecy… they cut our senses during such missions."

I had heard this once before, when she explained to me after I asked what great fairies actually did in their time off. I was well aware of the fact that fairies have no eyes… they were simply little dots of magic that were given wings. Instead, they are guided by a divine perception. They simply knew where objects and people were around them, and can tell by the magical properties. They can even tell which person is which, unless their senses were cut. And yet, they are completely blind. To take away their senses was to take away the only physical contact to the people as individuals. It made them completely unbiased when performing duties, no ties of emotion to any of them. It simply made it easier for the fairies to . I had used this trait to my own ends only once before. I had never hoped I would need it again.

"You must be tired. That seems like a LONG way to go in just three days."

"No, I'll be fine. Mobi is the one who needs rest; he did it twice in a row."

"I'll have to thank him again."

She slowly glided down and rested the green hat on my head, perfectly in place. She was good at that.

"Thank you."

"Hey, I make sure my house is neat."

"It's NOT your house."

"Wanna bet?"

She darted underneath the brim. I could feel her in my hair, nesting down.

And then, something very unfortunate happened.

I heard a few scattered rustles in the grove just beyond the bushes, two peculiar thumps, one louder than the other. Out from the barrier of foliage came two figures that normally I would have been glad to see. But in this particular circumstance, it was not so.

Sheik slid out from the thicket. He looked around, making sure none of the Kokiri were there. He whistled back into the bushes. Dark slid out, his gleaming eyes not quite so bright in contrast to the daylight. They almost looked normal.

"I thought I saw her come this way," Sheik mumbled.

"Who?" I asked simply.

"Navi," replied Dark.

I felt a particularly unfortunate flutter of wings in my hair. Navi shot out from under my hat.

"I'm right here, Link, did you already forg-"

The wings halted their forward motion, the ball facing away. "Wait…"

She turned to me, then back over to Sheik and Dark, then back to me.

"EEEK!!" she squeaked, and went directly back under my hat. She trembled as she hid within the nest. "Who was THAT?!"

"I suppose we were correct," sighed Sheik.

"Navi, get out of there. I need to tell you something."

"NO."

"Navi…" Dark said sadly. "Please…"

"WHY DOES HE SOUND JUST LIKE YOU?!?!"

"If you come out, I'll explain everything."

"Not until he goes away!"

"Don't be rude," I said, taking off the hat. She clung to my hair in a death grip, so much so that as I grabbed her by the wings to pry her off, she ripped out the strands she was holding.

"Oww…. That hurt."

Navi tore herself from my grasp, and quickly retreated into the cap in my hand. Dark slowly withdrew into the bushes dolefully. "I shall leave," he said in a monotonous tone, clearly saddened by the fairy's reaction.

"No, don't," I started, but he had already gone. I stared at the patch into which he had disappeared, but rapidly changed my focus to the slim blue warrior who had also witnessed the exchange. "Could you go and get him, please?"

"Don't do it, Sheik!" came the still-frightened squeak from the pointed, quivering chapeau.

Sheik bowed his head in understanding. He slunk toward the brush, slipping into the coppice without the slightest of noise.

I frowned at the hat in my hands.

_That could have gone better._

"Navi, I'm a little disappointed in you."

"Is it gone?" came the shrill reply.

"Yes, he is. But, I want you to meet him."

The silvery wings poked out from beneath the brim. "What IS it?

"Do you know the tale of the Caress of Veylai?"

"…I do. Strange that you would know of it, it's not a topic that comes up in discussion. Why?"

"You remember when Ganondorf blasted me with that magical spell the first time I met him?"

"Of course! I had to tend to your wounds." The ball began flying in several erratic circles, a chaotic pattern that she often displayed whenever she was particularly anxious or impatient. "What about it?"

"Well… that man you just saw was the result of that particular ritual."

Navi stopped mid-loop, hovering there, suspended without her wings even flapping. "Wait…" She drifted even closer. "You mean to tell me that thing is one of the Black King's summoned monsters?"

"Yes, Navi, but you have

"Then you must vanquish it! Down with the forces of the Black King!" Navi trumpeted, as if declaring the beginning of a battle.

"I already tried that, Navi. It doesn't work."

"What do you MEAN it doesn't work?!" she squeaked frantically.

"He is NOT evil, Navi. He is me, with a slightly different past."

"But he can't possibly be you… his mind must be twisted by Ganon!"

"Navi, will you CALM DOWN PLEASE!" I found myself yelling rather loudly and angrily at the fairy, much more so than I had expected. The ball cowered away, and I realized I had been a bit too irate.

"I'm sorry…"

"I am too. I hadn't expected to be so forceful. But it is you who must listen this time. Will you let me explain, dear friend?" I said in a much softer tone, extending my finger out in apology. Navi timidly floated onto it, perching as if she were some small bird.

"Yes, Link. Where did it come from?"

"You must know, Navi, he is sort of sensitive. I will ask you to not call him an 'it'. His name is Dark. Do you remember the water temple?"

The ball flapped it's delicate wings slowly. "Yes… what about it?"

"The final door at the end that we never went into?"

"Yes…"

"Well… it was a portal to the Sacred Realm."

"Oh?" the fairy perked up. "What part?"

"I don't know… the part where things that are banished go?"

"There are two of those, you know."

"Does it matter?"

"Not really, but you probably were in Kroa, the lower banishment. Were there other monsters there?"

"No… but did say that there were some before, I thought…"

"Kroa, then. Nikrit, the higher banishment, is reserved for a very select few. That's where Zelda sent Ganondorf."

"Whatever, Kroa. Dark was locked away in there. He tried to kill Sheik and I-"

"WHAT?!"

"Calm down, Navi. It was not his fault. I'd attack anything that moves too if all I had known was battle, fear, and pain."

"Alright…"

"Now, when he comes back, you need to be nice. He's rather sensitive… you can understand that, right?"

"Yes… I know several fairies that were treated much the same."

"Yeah… an apology might be in order. He still remembers you, from before the spiritual separation."

"So he has your memories up until that point, I assume?"

"Yes… including you. He missed you even more than I did. I can't say that I blame him, really… he's had a rather…"

_I don't think she needs to know the details just yet._

"…difficult life under the oppression of Ganon. They hurt him badly… his mind is very fragile. He's getting better though… and I think you can help him. He just wants to see you, he hasn't since his creation."

Navi seemed to deflate slightly in shame. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. It was too much to expect you to understand at such short notice."

A rustle announced the arrival. Sheik emerged from the barrier of ferns that surrounded the opening with his back facing us, as if he were pulling along a very stubborn object. Which, I suppose he was.

"Come ON," Sheik growled.

"She doesn't want to see me, Sheik," replied the muffled voice of Dark.

"But YOU want to see HER, and that's all that matters. She'll understand."

"Please, let go. She made it very clear that I was frightening her."

Sheik gave a small grunt, and dug his heels into the dirt beneath his feet. He yanked on the elbow he had in his grip, pulling Dark out into the clearing, who nearly stumbled over some of the dead branches that I had dropped. Eyeing Navi, he tried to duck away out of sight. Navi left her perch on my finger and spiraled through the air lazily over in the direction of the clone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you before…" Dark apologized rather pathetically, his stare glued to the grassy ground in submission so absolute, I couldn't help but be slightly sympathetic. I felt so sad that he had had to endure a re-encounter like that. The timing had been absolutely horrible. Navi seemed to have gotten over her fear rather quickly.

"Hey!" she chirped. "Hello, Dark!"

The shade had a rather peculiar expression, one of disbelief coupled with a repressed but overwhelming happiness. His eyes left the hard ground, the glowering spheres seemed to brighten just a bit.

"Hello, Navi."

"I apologize for my rudeness earlier. I hadn't expected something so unusual."

"That's… alright… I'm sorry as well…" Dark said, still somewhat dumbstruck that Navi accepted him. Upon his rather timid response, the cheery ball agilely dropped down, and jumped forward, ramming into Dark's body just below the chest bone.

_Oh shit, I forget to tell her…_

Dark flinched horribly, his body almost falling over as it writhed. But… it was not a normal twitch… this one was accompanied by a brief chuckle. The first I had heard from the normally gloomy shadow. Navi withdrew after the brief embrace.

"You're right, Link. He IS just like you!"

Sheik's expression was hard to judge behind that mask. But his next words sealed my doom.

"Really…" the sheikah whispered slyly. "Good to know."

There were very few times I have ever wished Navi ill. This was one of those moments.

_Dammit. All those years of secrecy, down the drain._

The ball of light escaped underneath Dark's hat, before re-emerging only a moment later. "Well… I suppose you know me for the most part."

Dark raised his hand much like I had only a few minutes ago, and Navi perched in just the same way. I had a bizarre wave of déjà vu wash over me. I don't know if I'd ever get used to having an identical twin.

"I suppose you could say that…"

"But I don't know a whole lot about you. There's a lot of difference ten years can make."

"Indeed," agreed both Dark and Sheik.

Navi drifted off of dark's outstretched digit, and turned to me. "Is this what you wanted to tell me?"

"No… I actually have a question to ask of you."

"Oh?"

It was a long explanation once again. The prophecy, the mission from Zelda, the finding of Dark.

"…and in the end, I sort of am at a loss for what to do next. Where I have looked but never been… does that mean anything to you?"

Navi tumbled around in the air, flitting around like an impatient bee. "No, the one I can think of is the water temple entrance, which you obviously have already tried."

I shouldn't have expected any different… but my heart sank just the same.

"but… there is one who would know the answer. She knows everything."

She had grabbed my attention. "If you would be so kind, who may I ask is 'she'?

"The Great Fairy of the North, the physical embodiment of Nayru. She knows all."

Now, I had heard that the goddesses used Great Fairies as a means to contact the physical realm, but I was not particularly set on an incredibly long trek for something so vague.

"The one you are currently subordinate under?" I inquired, hoping to hear a negative answer.

"Yep, that's the one."

_Dammit. _

Sheik groaned loudly. "Have you any idea how long that takes on foot, Navi?" Sheik posed in a controlled expression of annoyance and discontent.

"A long time. Why?" she asked obliviously.

"How are WE supposed to get there? We cannot fly as do you."

"Well… then use what you call feet."

Sheik's head fell in defeat. It was as speaking to an old woman, long past the point of senility.

"Come on, where's that Sheikah spirit of adventure? Going boldly into the unknown, where no Sheikah has ever gone before."

Sheik's head snapped back up. "That, little Navi, is where your error begins. It is not unknown. It is not untraveled. Surely you should have heard of the ancient Sheikah rite of passage into manhood?"

"Uh…." The ball stuttered. "…no…"

The mask fluttered slightly as Sheik gave a large sigh. "We must travel to each of the Three Great Fairies' of the Goddesses fountains and collect from them a blessing, which we bring back to the Patriarch. I have indeed made this trip before. It is long and dangerous, by far the most difficult fountain to arrive at. Some do not survive the trip. And we are going to make such a journey for something so . It is a gamble with our lives, Navi. What if you are mistaken? What if the Great Fairy has nothing to give to us?"

Navi rolled right into her reply as the final syllable left Sheik's tongue. "THAT, Sheik, is where YOU are wrong. She is the all-knowing goddess Nayru. She will have something to give you. It is guaranteed."

"Is it really, now?" Sheik asked in a lazily suspicious tone.

"Yes," Navi said bluntly. "It is."

"Hey now, you two stop arguing. It's not helping anyone." I decided it had to stop, even if I did wait until the message had been put across. "Sheik… we have to do this. Navi has never led me astray, nor you. If she says it is true, then it is."

Sheik gave another, much more shallow sigh. "Alright."

I looked over at Dark, who seemed lost in thought, his eyes seemingly gazing out over many horizons. "You feel up for an adventure?"

The shade quickly recovered from his trance. "I have agreed to go with you until the end of this quest. It is a promise I hope that both of us will keep."

I remembered my end of the bargain. "It is so."

"Then lead me wherever you may go. I will fight alongside with you."

"Thanks."

I looked back over to Navi, who was already flying high.

"What, you're not coming with us?"

"I will meet you at the top of Death Mountain, at the pass of Darunia. I will wait for you until you get there."

"Why not simply join us?"

"I cannot… I must report to the Fairy atop . It is the bounds of my absence; I must report to her about the outcome of this conversation."

And with that, the little ball took off. She flew far up to the trees, almost out of sight before she

"HEY!"

_Ugh…_

"WHAT?" I called back up.

"HEY!"

_Mmmm…. She still wouldn't let it go._

"UP-C!"

"Listen! Shouldn't you be going to Death Mountain?" And with that, she disappeared into the canopy above.

My eyes fell to the other two.

"Still with the up-c?" Sheik asked.

"Yep."

The three of us stood in a triangle, staring at each other for just a moment in silence. I was the first to give in. I tried to hold in a laugh, but it didn't work. Both Sheik AND Dark joined in, and we three laughed long and hard.

Eventually, we had calmed down.

"So when will we leave?" Sheik inquired, back to his rather cool, even tone.

I looked about the ground, sticks still strewn everywhere in odd piles. My eyes drifted just a few yards ahead, to the large tent that was erected at the other end of the clearing. It was used to store dry wood for fires… and had been my original goal for the pile I had been carrying before the unfortunate incident. I closed my eyes, briefly letting a string of rather nasty curses and other harsh words create a thundering cloud of angry thoughts about how close I had been to finishing my work.

"Right after we clean up this mess."

(Yeah, just tried to get this chapter out soon. Good news though…. I may have a Beta-reader soon, if they accept my request. Gonna cut this author's note a little short, cause I'm tired and I have to get up early. Sort of an experimental chapter… the amount of characters sort of messed me up. Not sure if it seemed too Navi/Link-centric, but I tried to include Sheik and Dark in on it. And yes, I DID just make a game reference. Hey, I think it's funny . Realistic too, as if the game did actually occur =^_^= )

"War is too serious a matter to entrust to Zelda's Royal Guard." - adapted from Georges Clemenceau


	10. Chapter 10

(Uh… yeah… for those of you who were waiting for a rather steamy Sheik/Link scene… this chapter'll have one… or two, depending on your qualifications  So yeah… this might be a slightly greater than M- rated chapter. )

Aglyphis X

_Damn, I knew I shouldn't have done this at night. It's like trying to fight a ghost._

I was low to the ground, listening for anything I could use to locate the invisible man.

A small scrape in the dirt was all that could be heard, but it was enough. I wheeled around on one foot, holding up the shield just in time to see a blue flash through the very dim lighting. The final rays of the sun aided partially by the crackling fire were ill-fitting battle circumstances, but the challenge was all the better.

I felt myself leap backwards from the heavy collision, but I had been ready enough to absorb most of the impact. I dug my other heel into the grass, and quickly regained balance, already slashing through the air. A small clack of steel on steel resounded, as I felt the Master Sword being led around by the flashing blade of Sheik, until the tip of my weapon plunged itself into the ground.

Another glimmer as Sheik twirled around caught my eye. I ducked rather quickly below the strike, raising my foot up into the small of his back, pushing him away with all my might. It was a rather violent push, one that would have propelled someone of Sheik's rather diminutive weight several feet into a heap on the ground. But, being a Sheikah warrior, it was not to be. Instead, he quickly planted his bandaged hands into the ground, rolling quietly just into the shadow that I cast from the small fire, but it was enough. I blinked unintentionally, stepping to the side to give me a view of the opponent. He was gone.

I wrenched the Ancient Blade out of the ground, ready for the next assault.

_Something tells me he's over…._

I looked through the darkness, trying to gauge the man's actions.

_There._

It would come, if I knew anything about Sheik, very soon. He wasn't one to waste time in battle. Not a moment before I sidled away did a rather well placed downward kick scream through the air, aimed exactly where my head had been just a moment before. He landed on his hands gracefully and fluidly, springing himself upright again with great haste as I took the opportunity. His knives twinkled in the meager firelight, just enough for me to see he was unprepared.

I brought the blade down in a heavy overhead slash, fully capable of cutting him into two pieces.

But I hadn't seen his thin leg coiling like a snake. The first clue I had received was a knee to the solar plexus, knocking the wind right out of me. I slumped over his leg like a child, completely paralyzed, almost losing my grip on the sword, the thwarted attack falling around to my side. My head laid up against his heaving chest, listening to the wind pass through his body. It was a small comfort after such a blow. He supported me upon his thigh, which he kept raised.

"Sheik, one. Hero of time…. Zero."

"You… forget… one thing…" I wheezed.

"Oh?" Sheik crooned interestedly. "What might that be?"

"I got your leg."

Without further pause, I drilled the hilt of the Master sword into the back of Sheik's supporting knee, and I felt his body collapse. I pushed off of his wilting figure, and caught my stance before he was even on the ground. I quickly went down onto my own knees, pinning his limber body under my legs, one across his upper thighs, the other over his stomach. His arms came up to retaliate with the sharp blades he held, as I had been expecting. Rather than dodge the blows, I instead laid the shield longways across his chest, immobilizing his shoulders, arms, and head. I raised the Master Sword to the tip of his nose.

"We'll call it a draw, ok?"

Sheik gave a small nod, the only thing he could manage with his head caught up against the curve of the shield.

"You're so cute when you're not trying to kill me," I commented, knowing it would drive him insane. He hated it whenever I said that. I had only heard of a few others that had said such things and lived to tell the tale. Zelda and Impa were the only two that had remained unscathed, while the other had BARELY survived. They now had several missing rather helpful body parts, including some fingers, an ear, and an eye. I didn't mind, really… it had been one of Ganondorf's commanders, so he had thoroughly deserved it. Only reason he had remained alive was because he was then escorted to the Castle for interrogation.

His eyes burned brightly, as if he wanted nothing better than to punch my face in.

"You..." he managed, but I pressed the shield down harder, forcing the breath from his lungs before he could elaborate.

"Now now, that's not very Sheik-like, is it? What happened to the little kitten that I fell in love with?"

"You're going to get a rather painful mauling later if you keep it up, Link."

I looked over to the fire, where Dark was sitting, nestled up against Epona, his fingers slowly running down her mane. She had become reserved to the fact that there was two of me, and had learned that it was actually a pretty good deal. Now she got twice the affection.

"Well…." I started as I felt Sheik struggling to get out from his pinned position. It took most of my strength to keep him in place. "Perhaps it is a risk worth taking."

Sheik's arm became partially freed, and he tried to reach up to perhaps get me off balance. It had worked, but in a very strange way. I felt the tips of his fingers brush my inner thigh, slowly snaking their way up under my tunic. The slender digits brushed up against a rather sensitive area gently, causing my focus to break as I gasped in a momentary bout of pleasure.

It was enough. My shield arm relaxed just a little, and he wormed his tiny body out from under my pin. The guard plate landed on the grass hard, and I felt two thin but powerful arms wrap around my waist, yanking me out of position, and rolling me over onto the ground. The Master Sword slipped from my grip, and rang as it hit a rock upon its fall. Before the brief noise had subsided, the situation was completely reversed. Sheik had straddled my stomach, his willowy hands forcing my arms into the dirt until they sank slightly down through the soft earth, his meager body lying across on top of mine.

The passionate fury in his eyes told me this would end up not a fight at all.

"You cheated," I growled up at him.

"All is fair in love and war, Link."

"So which one is this?"

The ninja deliberated for a moment. "Both."

He slowly leaned down, his face mere inches from my own. I could feel him still breathing heavily upon my face. The tip of his nose connected with mine before he paused, piercing my soul with those scarlet eyes.

"You like to play with your prey?" I inquired in a whisper.

"The kitten you fell in love with, remember?" Sheik replied as he moved the mask away from his mouth.

I didn't wait for him. With the last bit of mobility I had, I lifted my head and pressed it up against his, our lips meeting in a warm embrace. It evolved rapidly, becoming the deep, adoring caress only found in lovers. Only a moment passed before his tongue was down my throat.

He slowly grinded his body down along mine, as he now straddled my waist. I prayed he didn't notice my… enthusiasm.

I licked the smooth enamel of his teeth, and wanted them as my own. I wanted to feel this forever.

He backed his tongue out of my mouth for a moment, drawing away an inch or two. "I feel that, you know."

_Oh well. I suppose the goddesses aren't listening to prayers right now._ And I was fine with it.

As he came back in for the kiss, one of his hands left my arm, slowly marching his fingers down the ladder of my ribcage, down my side. The blood rushed back into my arm, creating a strange tingling sensation. I laid it across his back, pulling him down harder.

His hand continued on its teasing journey, playing along my upper leg and waist before finding its target. I didn't even notice his slipping under my belt and waistband before I felt the warm touch begin to play with my most delicate of spots, creating an even harder throbbing sensation. My tunic pants began to feel very crowded and very tight as his soft grip surrounded me. His thumb slowly rubbed up and down the hot shaft gently, my eyes popping with little stars of delight as his tongue forced itself deeper into me.

"Get a room, you two. You'll scare the horses."

Without bothering to cease the rather private actions, both Sheik and I looked over at the fireplace. Six eyes were laid directly upon us, two pairs belonging to the mounts.

I felt Sheik tense up, his grip becoming momentarily like a vice, causing me to yelp into his mouth. To my dread, I felt his hand pull away from my body, sliding back out of my pants. He pushed himself away, his tongue dripping some of his saliva into my mouth as he pulled back. I swallowed it eagerly, knowing it would be a while until a moment like this came again.

Sheik stood up over me, looking down upon me, his eyes tracing my body slowly, lingering over what appeared to be my stomach with a small sense of longing before traipsing over to the small fire.

I lay in the cool grass for a while, savoring the feeling that still remained. Slowly, I felt the pulsing slow and ultimately come to a stop. I adjusted my pants before standing up, and followed after the man who had been fondling me.

The glowing red eyes of Dark peered deeply into the fire, as if lost in thought. I wasted no time in slapping him in the back of the head, knocking his hat off. "You asshole."

Dark looked up at me with a confused look. "What did I do?"

"Don't play stupid with me."

"Hey, you're the ones who decided to do something like that in public."

"Public?" I looked around at the hills that surrounded us, Death Mountain towering up on one side, with the town of Kakariko quite a ways away in the opposite direction. The lights were beginning to burn in the windows as night enveloped Hyrule. "You're the only other one here, and you should be on MY side."

Sheik seemed rather amused. "Now Link, is that something the Hero of Time would do?"

"Yes it is, cause I just did it."

"How spiteful. Perhaps the goddesses got the wrong Link."

"Ah, stow it." I plopped myself down just beside Sheik, up against the horse's side. "I wasn't the one with my hand down another man's pants, fondling his-"

Sheik's hand was up to my jaw, clamping it shut before the sentence was done, leaving me mumbling into the back of my teeth something that sounded like clock.

His index finger pointed across the circle of rocks that contained the fire. Through the flames, I could see Dark's head hanging low, his expression hard. He could bore a hole through solid rock with that stare. The flames lit his face up, the contrasting shadows giving the gloomy look much greater depth. His back was slumped, arched over as if he held upon his shoulders a weight not even the Golden Gauntlets could lift. Clearly, my words had struck a particular string in his mind…. One that played a rather sour note of memories.

I silenced myself quickly. I would have to be wary of my actions around him for a while, until we could help mend his shattered heart.

Dark was the first to break the silence. "We leave in the morning for the pass, do we not?" he mumbled in a monotone.

"Yes. Navi will be waiting," I responded.

He was quiet for a long minute. "I'm sorry I interrupted you two… it was not my place."

"Nonsense," Sheik said. "If ever we begin to make you feel uncomfortable… please say something. We don't want to put you through anything more than you want to."

I held my tongue, selfishly hoping that he wouldn't use such an invitation too many times in the future. Dark kept silent as well.

The fire soon burned down to embers, and we three fell asleep without any further words.

***

I awoke to a rather pleasant sensation. Sheik had fallen onto his side, head snuggled into my lap, facing inward. Odd, he normally slept sitting up. In the cloudy waking thoughts, I entertained myself with some obscene fantasy.

It was only a minute or two before Sheik too awoke. His eyes cracked open.

"It seems I am still dreaming," he yawned.

"That makes two of us."

I looked around for Dark, who was nowhere to be seen.

_Dammit, he better not be off…_

"Good morning, I have breakfast," came an unexpectedly cheery voice.

…_looking for food. _

Dark leapt over the still sleeping mound of flesh and fur across from us, the slumbering figure of Epona. Sheik jumped up from his rather compromising position, sitting up like a Sheikah normally would.

Dark smiled slightly. "I can't leave you guys alone for five minutes, can I?"

_Did he just make a joke?_

"Only if you can go for just as long without waiting on us hand and foot," I retorted.

"Link… you're being mean," Sheik warned.

"He started it."

"Don't worry, Sheik… he's just being sour because I interrupted you two last night."

"I am NOT!" I stated angrily.

"If you prefer, I can leave you two alone for a while. It may be a while before you two have the chance again."

For an insane moment, I seriously considered taking him up on the proposition. One look at Sheik, and I knew that it wouldn't fly. He had that 'don't-you-even-THINK-about-saying-yes' sort of Sheiky glare from behind his mask.

"We can wait."

Dark approached, holding out a handful of berries, nuts, and assorted foodstuffs. "Sorry there's nothing very substantial… the only thing around here with any real meat are Dodongos, but they explode after killing them. Doesn't taste very good either, you might remember."

"It's alright," I responded, taking some of the offerings, crunching what seemed to be an almond-like nut. I had to agree, Dodongos weren't the most appealing of game animals. He was referring to the time when a rather large chunk of baby Dodongo meat flew into my open mouth after it exploded during my search for the Goron's Ruby. It had made me hurl my entire previous meal. Only later did I learn that the flesh was used for refining metal ores. I shivered at the memory; suddenly, I wasn't all that hungry.

"Well… about time we get going. Navi will be waiting." I stood up, stretching my legs and urging Epona to her feet.

***

I had forgotten the long trek up Death Mountain… the hot sun beating down, the dusty air thinning with each step, scavengers looming above and below, waiting for something to fall victim to the barren rock and blistering heat.

But one had to appreciate the raw beauty of it. The notch on the mountain was carved over thousands of years and several hundreds of thousands of raindrops into a large canyon that ran all the way down the back side of the mountain, the only 'safe' passage that didn't go around the entire mountain chain.

_Safe isn't the word… more like least dangerous._

The pass was treacherous, and not just in terrain. It had been the meeting place of the Marauder's Conclave, where every band of thieves assembled once every two years. Well… until Zelda and her commanders ambushed them a year ago and had them all put to death.

_Perhaps she deserves more credit than I give her… after all… she IS the queen, and holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. _

Still, many lowlifes patrolled the pass regularly. Out of habit, out of nothing better to do… it wasn't a particularly nice place.

"HEY!"

Poof. Down again.

"Navi…" I mumbled into the dirt. For such a tiny creature, she was able to perform incredible feats of strength. She was able to fly my up out of a grotto which had the exit mirror portal broken. "You HAVE to stop doing that."

Sheik chuckled a little. "Maybe you should just walk on all fours. It's less of a fall."

"Everybody's a comedian."

I felt a prod just under my chest bone, and a wave of uncontrollable laughter washed over me. I began to giggle and spasm on the ground.

"Aw…. So cute. Just like a little girl," came the voice of Sheik.

I rolled over, only to find it hadn't been Navi who had prodded me. Sheik was standing over me, kneeled over, his hands dangerously close to my abdomen. "You little…"

"Careful… you may just end up regretting it, Link." Sheik's fingers flexed menacingly.

"You wouldn't," I said in horror.

"Oh, yes I would."

"HEY! LISTEN!"

"Alright, Navi. We're here," I grumbled, shooting to my feet to avoid an assault. "What did you need to tell us?"

"Link…" she said rather sadly. "I won't be able to accompany you on this next leg of your journey… I must get back to the fountain before the next mission begins."

"Oh…" I had been expecting her to accompany us on the long journey. It was somewhat disappointing. "So… is this… goodbye?"

"Certainly not." The tone changed again, into the ecstatic, jittery fairy she had always been.

_Bipolar, much?_

"By the time you get back, the mission will be at another lull. I have received approval to accompany you after you get there. It'll be just like old times, Link!"

A smile cracked across my face. "Is there any particular directions that you'd like to give us?"

"They are unnecessary," Sheik cut in. "The trip is simply long, but it is generally easy to follow. We will be fine."

"Alright. But remember, Sheik, Link… the greatest fortress is useless if the door is wide open."

Before I could even ask her meaning, she was gone. I hadn't even caught what direction she had taken off in.

"What?" I was confused at the statement… it didn't seem to have any sort of relevance. Not even a hint.

"Oh, you'll see when we get there."

Dark was several rods away, inspecting the rather magnificent entrance to the pass of Darunia with the two horses. A spectacular display of Din's craft, the high walls extended nearly a thousand feet up on either side of the gully, the bottom carved out like a smooth bowl, so slick around the sides it must have been a work of art from the ancients. I remembered travelling shortly along this path when I was only a child, back when Death Mountain's volcanic activity caused huge, flaming boulders to fall from the sky. I had been able to survive by using the then-too-large Hylian shield as an umbrella and ducking into the nearest nook to wait for the outburst to subside.

But I had never gone any farther than the fountain… this was going to be a new experience. I was glad that Sheik knew where we were going; I wasn't very keen on travelling into unknown territory with no directions to go by.

***

The gully was blistering hot, as if I had been swallowed by the lava that flowed in Death Mountain itself. Cursing myself for not bringing the Goron tunic that had been gifted to me long ago, sweat poured off my brow and into my eyes. I led Epona by her reigns, while Sheik took charge of his own mount.

_What the hell was I thinking…_

The three of us had led the horses down the rocky culvert, nearly halfway down the backside of the mountain before the sun had finally begun to dip into the barren, gravelly peak behind us.

Sheik and Dark seemed completely unperturbed about the heat that radiated off the stone and dust.

"Sheik… how can you stand having that damned hood in this sort of weather?" I asked. He responded with little more than a look that shut me up. Of course, he wouldn't have noticed. He had been trained and disciplined all his life to withstand the most harsh conditions… searing heat, icy cold, blinding light, blackest dark, torrential rain, driest drought… nothing ever seemed to get to him.

_Well… almost nothing._

Dark had taken to scouting out ahead, killing any of the monsters that had dotted the landscape. Occasionally, I would see him raise his blade and drive it into the earth, only to hear a loud gurgling squeal.

Epona suddenly halted, planting her hooves. She neighed loudly, the sort of call that meant something was nearby. My blade was already drawn before her reigns had dropped.

A screech from behind us rang through the air, and I swiveled in time to see a red Tektite leaping through the air. One quick slash, a squeak, and a rather sloppy division of the spidery body falling to the ground ended the encounter.

_Eck… these things stink whenever they die._

Epona began to trot away, obviously just as avoidant of the pungent carapace, the meat inside quickly degrading away into nothing.

"You're getting stronger, Link."

"Thanks." I put my arm around Sheik's shoulder, and drew my head close to his.

"Now don't get over confident. You still have a long way to go till you'd be ready to fight Ganondorf again, you know," Sheik whispered.

"Well… a compliment is a good start. Normally, you'd have just said 'should've been faster.'"

"What, do you want a biscuit?"

"I wouldn't mind a different prize," I mumbled, brushing a strand of hair from his face.

"For a great Hero, you seem to have rather devilish thoughts on your mind."

"Well, you offer a biscuit to a dog… but the puppy would rather have a little bit of fun with the kitten."

"This morning wasn't enough for you?"

"You know it wasn't, Sheik."

I felt his arm go around my waist. "Well… you've waited this long. How much longer will you wait?"

"For you… until the end of time, if I must."

"Good answer. How much longer do you want to wait?"

"Not one second more."

Sheik's fingers played around my hip. "Well… you may get your wish very soon."

A howl of a wolfos signaled the end of the day, the sun dipping away behind the mountain at our backs. Dark had already ducked into a cranny in the wall of the gulch, with a loud screech and several severed body parts being flung out of the opening.

"This place will do for the night."

***

A fire had been built, and we had feasted on Keese that had inhabited the grotto. Sheik and I had cooked, refusing to let Dark even stoke the fire. He had done quite enough for us already.

The smoke billowed out of the cavern, swirling up into the dim sky. Sheik was worried it might attract rather distasteful guests over the night. Dark volunteered for first watch, and had been out of the cave before either of us could protest.

For the next long while, we listened to the sounds of Dark engaging in battle. Mostly simple things… nocturnal tektites, the occasional stalchild, and the not-uncommon bubble. At one point, we heard a rather heated battle, and rushed out to Dark's aide, only to see him standing on a pile of bones and armor, a stalfos that had been felled. I was rather impressed at his swiftness, destroying it in less than the twenty seconds it had taken for Sheik and I to react.

The fire had died, reduced to nothing but a pile of ash and cold cinders. I was laid up against the back of the cave, the two horses across from us in a deep sleep. Epona's head was laid over the back of Sheik's stallion. Sheik was to my side, sitting up, legs crossed in front of him.

"Seems those two get along pretty well, dunnit?" I asked, motioning to the horses.

"Makes this trip easier. Better to have horses that like eachother rather than a pair that doesn't. Never ends well."

"Very true. Think we can expect any little racing warponies anytime soon?"

"That is not for me to say. He may be a little too rough for Epona."

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see."

"Perhaps."

I couldn't resist. "Well, at least YOU like it rough," I added in a sideways comment.

"Maybe I do. But I don't think someone of your lazy, out of shape nature could satisfy my craving of forcefulness."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Only if you take it to be one."

"Think Dark would mind me trying?"

"He won't come back in until his watch is over. That won't be for an hour or two."

"Well then," I mumbled, sitting up. "Perhaps you would like me to demonstrate."

Sheik looked at me with eyes that, behind all the stony hardness, showed that he wouldn't have minded at all.

I reached over and grabbed him by the shoulder, bringing his entire body along with it. I was already removing his shirt before our lips even touched, so as to avoid a complication later. I laid his soft, slender figure across the smooth rock floor before brushing the lower part of his mask and crashing my face down onto his in a rather passionate lip lock. I sloughed off my gauntlets and boots, almost attacking his mouth with my tongue.

Sheik's lithe hands began to remove my pants, and I felt the slight chill of the night settling in. No matter… I would feel much warmth in the minutes to come.

I tore at his blue sheikah tights, sliding off the form-fitting elastic cloth to expose his entire body. Sheik wore no undergarments, a fact I was rather glad to learn a long time ago.

I drew back to observe his entire bare figure, watching his toned stomach rise and fall, his tight, compact chest muscular yet thin. I examined him, laying there before me. Inevitably, my gaze fell down to his lower midsection, to find his already hard extension bobbing up and down in anticipation. I was still rather impressed with his size; for a long time, I had considered him to be rather… 'diminished', because he managed to hide it so well in his skin-tight suit. It was a rather pleasant surprise.

I reached for it as our lips met once again, and proceeded to show him what I wanted to do. I didn't go directly for a grasp of his rapidly swelling member, no… I would play his game. He liked to tease, I'd tease him right back.

I drew my fingers slowly through the small tuft of glistening hair that surrounded the base sensuously, feeling the throb of my own heartbeat begin to ring in my ears and thrum all the way down my body. The small forest of fur seemed rather well kept… I found not even a single knot as I glided my fingertips through it. Was this natural, or did Sheik have a secret compulsion? I didn't care… I continued my play.

It was only when I felt his abdomen shudder in anticipation did I find a grasp around his pulsating appendage. It was hard and straight, but stayed close to his body. I listened to his breathing become irregular as I slowly began to stroke him up and down, feeling every one of the formidable number of inches of his soft-skinned rod, feeling the veins pump blood with every one of his increasing heartbeats.

Sheik began to make some rather soft moans into my jaws, as I was forcing my tongue down his throat as far as I could. He lethargically felt his way around in the shadows for my own shaft, and he found it without much trouble. He refrained from handling it, though, preferring to instead handle my lower stomach and the area surrounding his long awaited prize.

I felt his body tug mine into another pose, and he settled his hips just before my waist. I looked into his eyes, still caressing his oral cavity, and he blinked up at me. It was his signal…

At that moment, I knew what he wanted. It would be the first time I shared my body so completely with him… his legs wrapped around my back, drawing me closer, hands on my hips. He waited… and I rewarded his patience.

I wrapped my hands around to his upper thighs, and shifted my hips as I slowly, ever so slowly brought him closer. The head of my pulsing extremity ever so gently rested up against his clenched entrance, and I slowly began to thrust it in.

I had only intruded a couple inches when Sheik began to twitch underneath me. His tongue retreated, and the kiss ended in a long, low gasp from the man I was now in. A sharp inhale, followed by a groan of ecstasy. His eyes shut as he savored the heavenly warmth.

I paused for a moment, wanting to make sure that his body adjusted to the visitor. I thrust it in deeper, deeper, his insides enveloping me more with every sporadic gasp.

Finally, after several seconds of painfully sluggish , I forced the last several inches into him in one large thrust.

At first, it almost sounded like a scream of pain, but as it subsided, I could hear that it was nothing more than a yell I had never heard leave the Sheikah's lips before. A pleasure so absolute, his body began to shiver from the intimate contact.

I held him up against my pelvis for several moments, making sure that his rather tight innards were ready to handle a greater stimulation. They seemed to swallow the entire shaft, drawing it closer as if wanting more. I was happy to

I rocked back on my knees, and I knew I had found the sweet spot. The flesh gave way just a little, and my length seemed to fall into a small internal notch inside of Sheik. His entire body went rigid as it happened, his muscles contracting, causing one hard, prolonged throb of him underneath my fingers, quickening the up and down motion of my hand around it.

From Sheik came a moan so loud, I was sure Dark would notice. I listened for a moment between his cries of blissful joy, to hear Dark engaged in battle just outside. A rather intense battle… perhaps another stalfos?

I rocked my hips back and forward, Sheik seemingly ready to explode in delight with every thrust to his prostate that I forced into his tight body. It was incredible… more than I had ever dreamed of. I had often thought how it would feel to be inside Sheik like this, what noise he would make. He sounded strangely feminine, his voice not the low, gruff bark that it usually was, but rather high pitched and childish. It only made me want to pleasure him even deeper.

I started to swell… would it be alright to release myself into Sheik? I worried for several long moments and a half dozen thrusts, until I felt his hands reach around my hips to draw me closer, his insides that surrounded my intruding shaft seemingly tightening in anticipation for a climax. It was decided.

A few more thrusts of increasing roughness, and I had reached the peak. Throbbing overcame my lower body, and I too gasped with one final thrust as I felt the orgasm begin to rock my body. I laid myself down on top of his heaving body, and his own member began to create a rhythmic wave.

Misfortune seems to plague our love-life, though. This would be no exception.

Just before either of us had begun to spill our seed, a crushing weight came down upon my back, forcing me even deeper into Sheik and smashing my body up against his. Several long arms seemed to wrap around us on all sides, trapping us as if a trap had been snapped all around our mingling bodies.

Sheik's breath became even more irregular in the confusion. But it was too late… even in the chaos around us, my body forced a thick, sticky injection deep into Sheik's tight body with such strength it must have been seeping into his intestines. Sheik's shaft pulsated in between his stomach and my lower chest, as a warm, sticky ooze shot forth out of his throbbing mast. Our orgasms matched eachother as I continued to shoot deep into him, the puddle of warm seepage growing larger against my skin, even as my mind began to be drawn elsewhere.

I felt a wrenching grip on my arm, unable to place the feel of the grasp. It was far from Hylian… it felt rather scaly, the fingers exchanged for a vice-like set of claws, three on one side and two on the other, rather than the single thumb. I tried to refuse, tried to wrench my wrist out of the vice, but it was far too strong. The Golden Gauntlets lay useless in a pile of my clothes on the floor, enticingly close, only a few inches away from my side. So close, and yet so impossible to reach.

"Krodova, qirikk zrutl r Brundada," came a hissing voice on top of me.

"Brundada er? Ybung lrtiakd asdrnr fidnadn! Om apras?"

"Ra, apras en Brundada er!"

A sickeningly insect-like skitter across the rocks made my stomach churn, dying quickly as it made its way to the mouth of the cave.

I was plunged into darkness, my head forced up against Sheik's chest. If Sheik could see anything, he did not announce it, as both of our climaxes subsided. A small trickle of seed slid down his side and onto the smooth stone floor.

Heavy sets of footsteps entered the cave, and I managed to twist my neck to get a look at the arrivals. Their silhouettes in the moonlight revealed two rather tall Hylians, both . One was tall and lanky for a bandit, while the other was short and squat.

"Well, lookie what we got here, Merv."

The taller of the two promptly hauled off and socked the stocky one right in the face with a large, knurled hand. In an almost comical way, the shorter thief rolled over onto his side, bobbing back up without effort at all.

"What in the hell was that fo'?"

"I TOLD you not to use mah' name, fool."

"Shit, dunn't make no diff'ence. They ain't gon' be sayin' nuthin' soon anyhow."

"Wha'chu thinkin?"

"I say we rip out they eyes an' sen'um to the queen. Let her know where we comin' from."

"You idjit. We gon' have the whole goddam ARMY aftuh us, we pull dat shit. Where the fuck ju get n'idea like that?"

"Well, you aint got anythin' bettah, youdda said it by now."

"We just killem, take what they got, and crucify 'em naked, upside down ovah at the lake. Do it at night, nobody sees, right? Time anyone sees 'em, we be long gone."

"An' you sayin' I'm fucked up. How bout we juss killem here like they are? Let that psycho-bitch learn her dog's secret, let eveebody know he was bangin' the Hero o' Time. They ain't gonna know what do with themselves they find out they Great Hero got dead. Even gon' be mo' surprised they find out he was fuckin' a Sheikah when it happen."

I felt the heavy weight on top of my back adjust itself, forcing me up against Sheik, who twitched underneath my body. His insides tensed around the cylinder that still within him, and I know he was fighting off the urge to show the pleasure he was feeling, a moan caught by the back of his teeth. I couldn't concentrate on the fact that I was still in him, his muscles tightening around my intruding appendage as it plunged deeper.

"Unfortunately for you… there is one slight thing you forgot."

A familiar voice echoed these words, the ones I would have said if I were standing and ready to fight. So much like… it was my own voice.

There, at the mouth of the cave, shining like an idol in the moonlight… was Dark. His hat was offset, letting his longish hair glimmer in silvery radiance. His eyes burned with a fire I hadn't seen since we first had met. The sword that he carried was unsheathed and held out in front of him, dripping with blood, standing like a ghostly sentinel.

Both of the thugs whipped around only to behold this glistening outline, and two bright orbs that penetrated the shadows.

"Hoodahell is this?" the taller one called Merv exclaimed. "Wait a secon'…" Merv stole a glance at me, then set his glare back to Dark. "How you ova here and ova there at the same time?"

Twang.

The stocky one tumbled backwards, a black wooded arrow protruding from his face. The remaining thieves harmonized in croaking a loud exclamation of "SHIT!" before another loud twang sounded, and the bandit pinning me down onto Sheik gave a yelp of pain, rolling off of me. I jumped away from Sheik, feeling my already softening flesh tear away from his insides. The remainders of his release made a rather sticky squelch as I peeled away.

Sheik gave a tiny squeak as I pulled out, but was up on his feet before I was. I reached down for the gauntlets, slipping them on quickly, just in time to see the large hoodlum that had pinned me down draw back up. A large, beetle-like monstrosity, barely resembling a hume at all, hunched over with an arrow protruding out of what would be the anatomical equivalent of the shoulder lunged toward me. I wound up a clenched fist and threw my entire weight into one solid hit in the scaly chest. I felt the shell-like carcass shatter like the thinnest of glass under my blow, and I felt a strange tingling as the soft flesh underneath began to spew forth in a fountain of ichors as my fist sank deeper into the soft underbelly.

The crippled bug fell to its thin-legged knees, the two arms with those menacing claws went slack as a strange, guttural gurgle sounded.

I looked over just in time to see Dark lash out at a guard that had appeared just behind him, wielding an axe-like weapon, while Merv made a dash to the mouth of the cave to make a hasty escape. "BRIGANDS TO BATTLE!" he yelled out into the night.

There was just enough time for us to throw our pants on and pick up our weapons before the rumbling began.

_What in the hell?_

Sheik and I dashed up toward Dark, knowing that being cornered into a cave would not be a wise decision.

Outside… was nothing short of what must have been an entire clan of thieves. Rows upon crooked and jumbled rows of nothing but flashing blades and axes, shields, and hundreds of bandits.

They were upon us in moments, barely enough to formulate a plan.

Without taking my eyes away from the approaching forces, I swiftly reached my arms around Dark's leg. Even in the heat of impending doom, I couldn't help but notice that in my approach, my arm brushed up against his sensitive area. He gave no hint of the contact.

I stuck my hand in the small bag around his waist, just large enough to fit a fist into. Instead of the bottom, I felt something large and round with my fingers, and pulled it up quickly.

Out from the tiny bag sprouted a bomb, fuse already hissing. I rolled it like a ball across the ground, just up to the very front of the approaching enemies, who had little time to react.

In one loud, ear-splitting crack, a ball of fire erupted from the blue sphere, sending several of the thieves flying into their comrades, essentially halting the first wave momentarily before the next row clamored over the groaning bodies. Just enough time for a battle formation.

"Dark, up and over."

I kneeled down, sword still at the ready, planting my foot into the hard, sunbaked ground. Dark took a couple running steps, lifted his leg and planted his boot on my knee, and launched into the air. He stayed in flight for several seconds, clearing the first row of blades and spears, performing a flip in the air allowing for him to drag the blade across several skulls, creating a small clearing in the wall of bodies. He landed gracefully, already slashing at neck level, decapitating several of the assailants.

Sheik made a peculiar sidestep into the circle, drawing his blades across several necks and arms, screams erupting as the limbs fell to the ground with a clatter as the blades they once held fell out of the now-useless fingers. A few more slices, and they too were dead.

It was too late to try and get back to my feet before the now howling bandits were on top of me, so from a crouched position, I performed a circular slash, the master sword glowing blue as the magic released from the huge swath that I cut. All of the nearby enemies faltered, and their knees buckled. Screaming in agony, I watched as their lower legs separated from the rest, fountains of blood spewing forth. Several of the spurts sprayed onto me… but it made little difference. It was the least of my worries.

One of the disabled bandits crawled toward me, raising his blade high in one arm. In one precise slashed, I chopped off the threatening wrist before thrusting the blade into his open mouth, down his roaring gullet, killing him instantly.

Several other were charging in. I wrenched the blade out of the man sideways, slicing his entire side open with several sickening cracks and squelches from the bones and organs that blocked the way, entrails falling in a messy heap next to the partially flayed body.

I blocked a downward slash with my sword, the blow glancing off at an angle, allowing for me to bring up my free hand and deal a crushing blow with my fist into the chest. The poorly made chest armor shattered under the strike, and the breastbone erupted into a loud crunching, reducing most of the attacker's insides to gelatin mush and gravel, and he too fell to the ground.

Dark took the brunt of the wave. At no point was there less than three assaulting him from any direction, but he expertly handled all comers. His eyes burned brighter than ever as his sword danced through the air as if it were a conductor's baton in a twisted symphony of clashing blades, screams and gurgles of death, and thumps of corpses slumping over.

Sheik too handled his own. He remained low to the ground, rolling and dodging attacks as if it were a game. He twisted and twirled, contorting his figure in the strangest ways to avoid being caught by a strike. He truly knew the art of movement… as if dancing to the symphony that Dark conducted.

I made for a quick stab at the nearest thief, piercing his stomach and twisting before slicing him directly in half with one hard jerk, directly upwards. As I leaned forward, though, I felt a searing pain in the back of my leg, causing me to buckle. I looked down to my injured calf, only to see the shaft of an arrow sunk deep into the muscle, blood trickling out of the wound, soaking my pants in crimson.

_Shit…_

Such an injury could prove costly in the heat of battle. Favoring my mangled limb, I began to balance upon the other. It became slightly harder to dodge, but I picked up a shield from one of the downed opponents and raised it. A rather large, heavy shield, not good for agility, but it didn't matter. It was tall enough to protect my entire side, and I used it as support.

"Link! Behind you!"

I twisted in time to see a rather menacing looking thief, seven feet tall at least, lumbering towards me. In his hands, he carried a rather large battle axe, winding up for a crushing horizontal slash.

I twisted the shield to the side just in time, but the sheer force knocked me several feet. I landed, and I felt the arrow dig deeper into my flesh. I gave out a rather loud groan of pain as I reached down and snapped the shaft off in hopes it wouldn't be forced in any more.

I jumped to my feet, picking up a small spear that was laid on the ground. Taking only a second for aiming, I launched it with all the force I could. The gauntlets empowered the gesture, and the entire spear disappeared into the sternum, flying out the bandit's back and striking a shorter one in the helm. Both fell over at the same time.

By now, Sheik had already made his way closer to me, ready to protect me in a crippled state. Dark, however, seemed reinvigorated by the fact that I had sustained damage. His ruthless attacks cut foes in half as if they were butter, felling several every few seconds. Blades cracked, shields shattered, and carcasses fell around him until he was almost hidden from view behind a wall of corpses.

I gingerly rejoined the fight, cutting down several more before a loud trumpet sounded through the air.

"RETREAAAAAAT!" Came the loud call of Merv.

Without second thoughts, the bandits all turned as one and scattered in every direction. I limped several rapid paces, catching as many as I could before they could get away.

They were gone in but a few moments, leaving the bodies of their fallen comrades to rot or be picked apart by scavengers.

_No honor among thieves…_

I sat back, nursing my injury. It was a rather simple wound, one that could be treated with very little effort.

Dark regrouped with us, the three of us heaving in the thin air of the high mountain. Dark nearly collapsed from exhaustion, Sheik stood standing, alert.

For good reason, too.

Without warning… several scrapes echoed across the ravine.

I looked up just in time to see a group of nearly a dozen stalfos' leaping from a high ledge upon us.

_Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me!_

Sheik was the first to react, leaping into combat with two. Dark leapt to his feet, dashing at a larger group, perhaps five or six.

"OI!" I yelled, hoping to call him back from such a stupid move, but it was no use.

Another of the skeletons lunged at me, and I parried the curvy blade with my own. I rocked up onto my feet, ignoring the blinding pain that shot up my leg.

The skelly jumped back, shield raised. Another landed just behind me, both circling me, waiting for the perfect moment. I decided to not give them one.

They both approached in one well-executed motion. A little too well organized, though; I managed to elude both blows with one rather lucky parry. As they were off guard, I took the opportunity to attack the soft spot, right in the abdomen. They didn't fall, though… much more durable than the bandits had been. They raised their protective plates once again, and I was forced to double back.

And then my heart sank.

Just behind my own two enemies… I saw the slender figure of Sheik, face down in the dirt, a stalfos with it's large, bony foot upon his back, pinning him. The twisted blade was raised high.

I heard the whistle of the blades passing around my ears as I rolled through the legs of my own enemies, launching myself off my feet just as the skeleton knight brought the sword down. It was mere inches from Sheik…

Without thought for myself, I tackled the stalfos, knocking it off of Sheik. It wasn't without cost… the sharp edge of the blade sank deep into my upper arm as it dropped just to the side of Sheik's head.

The menacing skull looked up at me with its ugly, empty eye sockets. I raised my fist and proceeded to beat whatever living shit that still remained out of the skull, crushing it like a glass underneath the wallop. I continued to punch it until it was nothing more than bone meal, until the blood loss from my two wounds began to get to me.

Sheik, in turn, leapt up, and swiftly dealt with the two I had left to save him. Both were reduced to piles of bones in mere seconds.

Exhausted, I fell to the ground, barely able to breathe. I tilted my head to the side, only to see Dark putting the final thrust into his last opponent before my vision began to blur and eventually blacken.

I felt Sheik's hands upon my still bare back, rolling me over, saying something, but what I couldn't tell.

The last thing I remember is a little dot of light… a pink fairy.

I slipped into unconsciousness.

(Yeah, this is the longest chapter so far. Originally, I was worried I wouldn't have enough, but I added a bunch of stuff, some descriptions that I got a little carried away with. I was even going to make it longer; I never think battle scenes are ever descriptive enough. I find it a little difficult to put such fast-paced actions into words, takes so much longer to describe, and I never seem to get enough out. Course, if I had made it much longer, I might have begun to piss off some people. Hoping to get all the chapters editted soon. In other news... the next chapter may be delayed… perhaps for a month or more, depending. Apologies… I have much to do in the coming weeks. Comments welcome ^_^)

"**Sheikahs today can do anything; the technique is phenomenal. The passion and the meaning to their movement can be another thing." – Adapted from Martha Graham**

"**WOOHOO! Finally broke fifty thousand words!" – Virkez**

P.S. Apologies for the false alarm this morning, I removed the chapter to make some edits, but I seem to have forgotten to actually re-up the chapter . stupid me. Hope you enjoyed it.


	11. Chapter 11

Aglyphis XI

_What a peculiar dream…_

I awoke, but I couldn't open my eyes. Every ounce of strength seemed to be gone from me, not a bit left even for a simple twitch.

"He's awake!" came a squeak, undeniably fairy in origin.

I hardly had time to crack a peek, just enough to see Sheik brushing a pink fairy away and wrapping his arms around my neck, leaning his head in for a kiss.

The touch invigorated me, a vitality previously unknown, as I felt his tongue pass my lips. It was over far too soon; I barely had time to react before he was pulling away.

I looked up into his scarlet eyes, filled with a mixture of emotions rare in a Sheikah warrior.

"What…" I began, trying to find words in the dark cloud that had filled my mind. I had begun to feel aches and pains from every extremity.

"Shh… rest, Link."

The fog lifted a little. I was able to determine the surroundings. We were back in the cleft in the mountain, and it was night.

Determining from Sheik's clothing, not much time had passed. He was still shirtless, obviously less concerned with his own self-consciousness in lieu of my health. I couldn't help but notice the still-glistening blotch on his stomach, the dried remnants of his bodily fluid. For a moment, I wondered whether he had chosen to keep my own within him. It had been a rather… hasty cleanup.

"…Where's Dark?"

Sheik's expression grew hard as he pulled his cowl back into place.

"Sheik… where is he?"

Without a word, he pointed across the cavern to where the pink fairy had begun to swirl about, slowly changing its color to a yellow glow. In the meager glow, I could see the outline of Dark, laid down on a bed of cloth and dirt.

I tried to get up against the protest of my burning muscles, but I only got up to my elbows before Sheik forced me back to the floor. "Don't get up… you must rest."

"What happened to him?"

"He is merely exhausted from battle."

"You're lying." His voice was not nearly as decisive as usual. "What are you keeping from me?"

Sheik gave a long sigh. "He collapsed after lending you his remaining spiritual strength. He gave you his life force to feed off of."

His statement made an odd bit of sense, but it still confused me. "How did he do that?"

Sheik released my arms, and sat down next to me. "I'm not quite sure… he said it had something to do with the connection you two share. I knew not what would happen, but he assured me everything would turn out alright. And… it did, I suppose. You're both alive."

I closed my eyes again.

_How can he be so reckless… _

Another thought popped into my head.

_The same way that I can._ I thought about what Sheik had said just before stepping into the door at the water temple. _We are nearly identical._

A peculiar movement in my hair made me cringe, snapping my neck over to the side. It felt as though a bug was crawling through it. Though, it had been a rather warm bug…. I looked back to where I had rested my head just a moment ago, only to see Sheik quickly retracting his hand. No trace of an insect.

"I'm sorry…" He began to sputter apologetically. He grabbed the offending hand as though it had been cursed.

"No… don't be. I'm just a little…. Jumpy, is all.." I felt bad, and slowly eased my head back into its former position. Sheik's hand did not return to my scalp, and I felt horrible, worse than if I had been yelling at him at the top of my lungs. "Is Dark alright?"

"The fairy says that he is stable. He needs rest, same as you."

"I can't rest now…"

"You can," Sheik whispered, "And you will."

"Only if you get some, too."

"That is out of the question."

"Then I'm not going anywhere, especially dreamland."

"I cannot make you do such… but I can strongly suggest it. Dark will be fine, do not worry yourself about him."

The fairy began to flutter through the air, back towards us. "How do you feel, Link?" it asked.

"I'm…fine."

"Everything in place? No broken bones I should know about?"

A quick mental examination of myself, and I found nothing to be incredibly painful. "Just a dull throb throughout my entire body."

"That is good. It means that you are healing correctly. You need rest."

I received another told-you-so Sheiky glare.

"You too, Sheik."

His expression changed almost immediately, and I couldn't help but smile, trying to return the same stare.

"I'm alright. These two are the ones that need it more."

"Everyone is fine. Sleep will do you all good."

Dark gave a rather loud sigh, before tilting his head to the side. His eyes remained closed, and his slow breathing resumed once again.

"See? He's got the right idea. You two should do the same. I will wake you in the morning," the fairy murmured.

Sheik wasn't exactly happy at the turn of events, but agreed nonetheless. He moved away from me, closer to the wall of the cave.

The fairy seemed a bit confused. "You choose to sleep apart? Why so?"

Apparently, Sheik was still not accustomed to being asked such things. In his defense, it could damage his reputation with the rest of the Royal Guard and indeed much of the kingdom. It was a secret I was unsure how we had kept from the Queen.

"That's not good for your back, nor your relationship."

His slouched position became instantly washboard straight. "What do you mean?"

"You're going to be one hurting Sheikah when you get older, hunched over like a frog."

"No, the other part."

"What? Isn't it normal for lovers to sleep together?"

Even behind the cowl, Sheik's embarrassed blush was very apparent.

"Where did you hear that?"

"It's in your thoughts, your actions, your words… I'm a fairy. We are the very authorities on emotions."

"That's enough. If he is more comfortable over there, he can stay. Perhaps our relationship isn't quite to that point, yet," I interrupted, hoping to save Sheik from the verbal assault.

_Yet._

"You are trying to mislead me, Link. You should know better. I know what you two did earlier this evening… do not think I am stupid."

Now it was my turn to redden. "You're a mean little fairy. What's your name?"

"I'm Tael."

_Why does that seem familiar?_

"Well, thank you, Tael… but I do ask that you not mention such things."

"My job is done after you are healed. You have friends in very high places… I was told to come and heal you by the Great Fairy of Death Mountain. You should be grateful."

"That I am. We all are."

The fairy fluttered away once again, hovering just over Dark.

I turned my head back to Sheik, only to find that he had already readjusted himself to be sitting next to me once again.

"So you're going to take her advice?"

"I am merely making sure you are alright."

"Sure. Your red face agrees."

Slowly, Sheik placed his hand upon my chest. A rather comfy feeling after a battle. "So what if I am?"

"It'd be a first for you taking advice from anybody."

"Not true."

"Orders from the Queen do not count as 'advice'."

"Well… I've taken some from you."

I reached up, and pulled Sheik by the neck down on top of me. His head landed just below my breastbone. "And look where that got you."

His fingers began to absent-mindedly pick away at the dried flecks of his seed that still remained upon me.

"I never got to thank you properly…"

"Yes, you did. You cared for me while I was injured. That is more than enough."

"That's not quite what I meant."

My mind wandered for just a moment, to a rather publicly indecent scene. "You can return the favor later."

"Promise?"

"I will be waiting for it. Don't think you'll get out of it so easily."

He nuzzled me with his cheek, further reinforcing the feline image upon my thoughts.

***

"Alright, where the hell IS he?"

"I don't know. You can't expect me to keep an eye on him ALL the time."

"You're a fairy! That's your JOB!"

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Hero. He's not my responsibility. You're the one that got him into this mess."

I growled gruffly, taking several deep breaths before readdressing Tael. Shouting wasn't helping, obviously. "Could you please help, then?"

"You mean, could I please go and find him for you?"

"That wasn't what I said."

"It's what you were expecting though."

"If you don't want to help, fine."

"Link, you forget one simple rule," Sheik offered.

"What?" I asked hurriedly.

"What does Dark do in the morning?"

"He…"

_Oh he did NOT go off and…_

"Breakfast," came a weak echo through the cave.

_DAMN him._

I turned to the grotto entrance, and felt about ready to pull Dark apart. "Do I have to CHAIN you to the wall whenever I-" When I saw him, though, my anger abated and replaced with sympathy.

Dark was limping slowly, dragging his feet in the dust, creating long tracks and kicking up small clouds. He looked as though he had been awake for his entire life. Surely his eyes would be bloodshot had they not been glowing red already; he was nearly bent over double, carrying small birds over his shoulder as though he were lifting so many Gorons instead.

"These are… for you…" he gasped, sounding like he had made the long trek down and up the mountain several times in a short period. He held out the avians in trembling arms, ready to collapse at any moment.

Sheik was first to act, snatching the birds from his hands. In my own self-dictated duty, I helped Dark into a seat up against a smooth rock protruding from the wall of the cavern.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" I asked hotly.

_Oh shit… _I hadn't caught myself before the rather common question in such a situation had been uttered. I wasn't sure what his response would be.

Dark looked up feebly, and I saw in his glowing eyes that not even he was positive of the answer.

"You stay here."

"No, I'll help you c-"

"No you're not," Sheik jeered rather childishly from across the alcove, already starting a fire.

I leaned in closer to Dark. "You know how stubborn he is… worse than a mule. You're not going to change his mind. You best just stay right here."

"I heard that, you know," Sheik stated loudly.

Dark's expression became less gloomy. "And you're tutoring ME on Sheikah attributes. You should remember his sense of hearing."

"I think that mask is some kind of sound-enhancing relic handed down through the generations."

Dark gave a half-hearted laugh. "I think he wears it to hide his ears. They're actually made of metal infused with magic, which make him take notice of things so well."

"I can STILL hear you both, morons. You're neither any quieter nor farther away than before."

"So which is it? Mask, or ears?" I asked.

"Shut the hell up, or I'll stick you both."

"Mmm. Please do," I taunted lewdly.

Sheik began to mumble something that sounded an awful lot like 'pervert'.

I decided to leave the cook be, not wanting to have a meal with the consistency of volcano ash and a taste of burnt tar.

Fortunately, he had forgiven us by the time breakfast was served. While a bit bland, the meat was cooked perfectly. We proceeded to chow down.

"Well… you're all fine now. Can I go?" the fairy inquired impatiently.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the fountain, where else?"

With our expressed permission, the yellow ball took off without delay.

"Not a very pleasant fairy, is she?"

"Oddly familiar, though," noted Dark.

"You thought so too?"

"Yes. After all, I do have your same memory."

"Well, at least I know it's from my childhood, then. Perhaps I'll ask Navi about her later."

We doused the fire in dirt, and left.

As we stepped out of the cave, an entire herd of Kargaroc erupted in a storm of feathers and gusting winds. The dead carcasses had already been stripped of most of their flesh, and little remained but several dozen skeletons and their non-edible equipment. We scrounged around for a while, seeing if there was anything good about the spoils. Plenty of gold and other loot from their previously thieving ways, including many rather fancy weapons, from jewel-hilted swords to bows of wood from the Sacred Meadow grove. Nothing of which was incredibly useful… although Sheik did pocket a rather interesting ring he had found on one of the slain commanders. An intricate vine-like weave of gold encrusted with black crystal dustings.

"You're never one for jewelry. What is it?"

"It's a fiera. A jeweled vessel for magical energy. Very rare, and very potent."

"Sounds fun. What's it do?"

Sheik nearly fell to the ground at the stupidity of the question. "I just told you. In it, there is a vast reserve of magick. To be used at the darkest of times."

"How does it work?"

"The same as your gauntlets do. They store up energy until it is decided to be released. You, however, have had a vast amount of power stored in your own fieri. Terrifying energy, given life in itself by the Golden Goddesses."

I looked at the rather unremarkable armorgloves upon my arms. I had known their power, and yet, I had never even wondered their secret.

"Crazy. But.. does that mean they'll run out?"

"If you use them for raising the dead, yes. For simple combat purposes… they will outlast the final enemy, even if you do not."

"Comforting to hear. I'll be able to… bring myself back from the dead, then?"

"If you can still speak the right words… yes."

"How do you store energy?"

Sheik sighed. "You ask many questions. Perhaps we should begin the journey to make better time." He slipped the ring on his thumb. It was still rather loose, but was held in place by the cloth that wrapped his digits.

Dark had been rummaging around in the spoils as well. He seemed to be looking for a new sword. His own had been severely damaged by the Stalfos knights.

_If he can do that sort of damage with a regular blade… what would he be like with the Master Sword?_

He tested a blade, balancing it perfectly on his finger. The sword was a bit curved, and had an edge to it on only one side.

"Seems like a foreign blade. Almost like that of the Gerodu master… but it is far too thin." He grabbed the handle, and swung it through the air in a few practice slashes. He had a particular adeptness in his technique.

But Dark looked dissatisfied. He held it up to the sun, looking down the arched edge. "Too lopsided." Dark threw it into the pile of bones in rejection.

"What sort of blade do you like?" I asked, hoping to help him find just the one.

"Something unconventional. Something that will flow, and yet… surprise the offenders."

"Hm… unconventional, you say?" I scratched my head, trying to visualize what such a blade would look like.

"Perhaps this is what you seek."

I looked up to see Sheik a few paces away, rearing his leg up for a kick fit for childish games. I didn't even realize what he was about to punt until his foot had already made contact.

A hollow thud sounded, shortly followed by a rather speedy launching of a dark-colored staff flying through the air toward Dark.

Dark stretched out his hand to the missile, stepping to the side. In one swift movement, he grabbed the staff out of the air as it passed by, twirled it about his hand, and planted his other hand higher up the thin shaft.

Only then did I realize what exactly it was the he held.

A long, brown cylinder with a flat, curved blade resting on one end. It wasn't nearly as fancy as the other weapons, but it was no mere gardening tool, either.

"A scythe?" Dark posed.

"Unconventional, as you requested," Sheik responded.

"Very. Not a sword at all."

"Well… perhaps a bit of practice, then?"

Dark eyed the odd weapon. "Alright… let's see what this can do."

Without skipping a beat, Sheik readied another kick. With a loud clang, one of the metal helmets of the fallen thieves was screaming through the air, perfectly aimed at Dark's chest.

But Dark seemed unnervingly well prepared. He spun in place, shifting his hands down toward the end of the shaft. The blade glinted in the morning sun.

A steely screech echoed off the walls of the canyon, and the two halves of the helmet flew apart, landing in the dusty skeletons, breaking a couple of ribcages as they dropped. From the absolutely flawless cut, it almost appeared that the helmet was built for that exact specification.

"Seems like you got it down pretty good, eh?" I commented. "You are full of surprises."

"Indeed. I think this shall be a rather interesting choice."

"Not subtle, but effective."

"Indeed."

"Gives you sort of a 'reaper of death' kind of appearance."

It did very well. There, his ghostly white complexion, his glowing red eyes, his dark tunic, and a black scythe in his hands… he indeed possessed an aura that commanded fear.

"Well… perhaps there will be fewer mishaps because of it. Not many would like to mess with a Reaper, the Hero of Time, and a Sheikah warrior."

"They might not like it… but if they outnumber us as they have, they will surely have no problem finding a reason to fight. Won't be long before we have a bounty on our heads from those bandits."

"Probably wouldn't be good to go around announcing to the world that you're the Hero of Time, either."

"No, that's something we should keep rather secret."

And so, we set off down the mountain after pocketing a few coins. Just enough to help us along on our journey, of course.

***

The trek down the mountain was much better than the previous day; a nice cloud cover overhead made it so much more bearable. Dark seemed to have a new spring in his step as he examined his newfound weapon from every angle.

"Care for a little duel after we get off this mountain?" I asked innocently.

"Do not offer such things lightly."

"I don't. I think it would do us both good."

"Or, it could end up killing us both. Sheik would get lonely, wouldn't you?"

"I'm not part of this. You two settle your rivalry away from me. Who else will tend to your injuries when you slice eachother into ribbons?"

"Oh hush. So how about it, Dark?"

He seemed a little wary at the prospect. "Alright. But, there will be some restrictions. I don't want to wind up slaying you and subsequently myself for the sake of play."

"Do you really have that little faith in me?"

"Not at all. It is not likely for such an outcome… but I would like to make sure that the possibility of a horrible accident be as close to zero as can be managed."

"Suit yourself. Just don't TRY to maim me, alright?"

"Then what is the point of a match?"

_Good question. If you don't have the will to hurt the other person… it is not a fight at all. It is merely a game._

I held Epona by the reigns, but she jerked her head to the side and pulled them out of my loose grip. She trotted several steps ahead, and stopped dead. Her white mane seemed to flow in a breeze that did not exist.

It was only perhaps a furlong to the base of the mountain, but Epona seemed rooted to the spot. Something had caught her attention. I sidled up beside her, to see where her eyes had strayed.

"What is it?"

I wasn't quite sure what she was staring at, but one thing I did notice was just beyond the end of the brown, dirt gulley we had been travelling for two days.

The largest stretch of flat ground I had ever seen expanded out in front of us. Farther than the eye could see, were just simple plains of short grass, with a small path that seemed to have fallen out of use cutting a long, straight line through the center to out beyond the horizon.

Epona shot forward, dashing the last few yards to the green shag below, scraping to a halt just at the very edge of the turf. She lowered her head and began to gnaw hungrily at the short blades.

_So that's what she was all excited about._

I couldn't help at whistle at the rather staggering trail before us. It would indeed be such the journey Navi had been describing.

Even Dark gave a low groan of slight annoyance, as though he had stepped in something particularly rude. Sheik didn't even blink.

"Pardon me for asking, but just how many miles is it until we find something besides… uh…" But I couldn't quite think of the word.

"Nothingness? It is not known. Nobody cares to count that high."

Dark gave an even louder groan. He was clearly unenthused.

"There is one small village along the way. It was founded by a party that had lost their way across the vast distances. It has grown in to a hamlet that is self-sustaining. They grow their own crops and keep their own livestock. It is relatively unknown, but a convenient spot for weary travelers."

"And most likely crawling with thieves looking for a hideout," Dark muttered.

"Perhaps. We will have to be careful. If necessary, we can steal what we need."

"That seems a little…"

"What? Barbaric? It is for a greater cause. If we do not succeed, they will all perish under an unknown shadow. Did you forget that part?"

"Of course not," was all I could manage. What must be done will be done, and that was as far as it went.

"That will not happen for several days yet. It will be good to get as much of a start as we can."

***

We travelled on horseback, and did not stop until several hours into the night. Beginning had been a little slow, as Dark discovered the first problem with such an eccentric weapon. The staff was a little too long for storage on horseback, and had to be held in a specific style. Dark fashioned the scabbard of his previous sword into a holder that strapped directly onto the saddle so as to protect the moon had already begun its descent. It was only after the imperial warhorse lay down and refused to budge were we grounded.

Epona followed suit, and her legs folded underneath. I was rather tired myself, and simply slid off the saddle onto the grass. The sod took upon my shape, as I had taken rest in a pillow of clover. The ever-darkening sky loomed forever above, some clouds appearing over the horizon. "Do you think it will rain much along the trip?" I inquired of Sheik, a little concerned at the intensity of the gray color of the rather menacing bank as it slowly travelled over the far plains.

"Undoubtedly. There should be rainforests many leagues out over what we can see. Many nights and days of foul weather lie before us." He spoke with the complete lack of sentiment that was his usual, although as of late he had become slightly more attuned to venting his own ideas and opinions. Perhaps it was my fault.

"You're a real downer sometimes, ya know that?"

"You asked."

I sighed at the prospect of what such a quest might entail… And it wasn't the vast distances they had to travel to get to the fountain. It was the trip BACK that I was rather reluctant of, especially if such an undertaking bore no useful information. "What do you think about all this, Dark?"

"I think that the horses will not be happy when they figure out how rudely arduous this next enterprise may be."

"You're a great help for the cause. You're supposed to be on my side."

"Oh, quit whining. You'll only make it worse, you know."

"Yeah, you're right."

And there I laid spread eagled in the grass, looking to the stars above.

"What is out there?" I mumbled to nobody in particular.

"Dark. Lots and lots of dark with some stuff in it."

"But I'm right here, Sheik," the shade offered jokingly, something he had become increasingly good at. Now, Dark was rather fun to be around. I was in mild surprise that something with an existence so foul and horror-ridden could ever even grasp the concept of humor.

"You know what I mean," Sheik rebuttaled, speaking airily as to suppress a laugh.

I couldn't help but feel a smile stretch across my face. "All those stars… just like the Sun. The goddesses made this planet, and Hyrule… but what made the rest of it?"

"The rest of what?"

"…Everything. Even on this planet... The land to the north… Ternia?

"Termina, yes. I don't know of their history… But I did hear that they have a rather old clock tower that is carved in runes that describe the times long past."

"But… if there's a nation that few in Hyrule have ever heard about… what about the rest of the planet?"

"I'm sure there are other kingdoms, ones that nobody has ever been able to traverse there and back in one lifetime. None dare risk the danger."

"Where did they come from? If the goddesses did not make them… who did?"

"The lesser deities, perhaps. There's hundreds of legends of the flamboyance and bitter rivalries between them. How many of the legends are true… I cannot tell."

"Then what about... the stars? Did the goddesses make them as well?"

"You ask too many questions. What makes you think of the stars when there are such important things happening down here?"

I didn't respond. I simply laid in the cool grass, staring upward into the twinkling heavens.

"You wish to go there, to see, to know what else there is. You want to know if there are other planets with beings not necessarily like ourselves, but with equivalent or even greater wisdom. Perhaps there are places where humoids never existed… a place where beasts are the law and order of the land. No hierarchy other than that of survival."

I was impressed at how well Dark could articulate my ideas.

_Well, he is me, after all._

"Perhaps you should have inherited the Triforce of Wisdom instead, with your constant search for knowledge… perhaps then such dire times would not have returned."

I knew instantly that his remark would spark a rather nasty thought from Sheik, even before it happened.

As the syllable left his lips, the cobalt textiled shoulders shivered once, and the flashing of his cat eyes signaled a rather touchy subject.

"Your meaning, exactly?"

"I mean nothing against the Queen, I assure you, Sheik. I am merely pondering the prospect of other options… surely you as a shadow knight know the importance of knowing every possible alternative. We will never know what would have happened, but that does not mean we can't wonder about if it had."

_Apparently he knew it, too._

"Sorry to tell you, Link… but even the Hero of Time cannot visit the stars. There are things that should just be left alone."

"But… what if they need our help? What if… there is only one Hero for all of existence? Surely, there are more than those in Hyrule that are under oppression and tyranny. Even those on this planet, those that are farther away than I have ever travelled. Perhaps they are in need."

"You're taking this whole Hero business to a rather extreme level, don't you think?"

I was not so quick to agree. "Am I? "

"No, he is not," Sheik intruded quickly, so fast Dark was unable to let loose the thought that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"The teachings of Impa show in your demeanor. You are truly her greatest student." Dark was more or less muttering in exhaustion; he did not seem to have a pleasant evening riding horseback. His discomfort had been perceptible from the moment his foot hooked into the stirrup.

"It is not Impa's lessons that lay as the foundation for such a bold statement."

"How for do you mean?"

"The gods chose one and only one. While Hyrule may be the center of the domain of the Deities, it is not the sole importance that has everything worth saving. There are thousands, tens, hundreds of thousands… millions that must be in need. It is only right that Link feels in such a manner. You have the Triforce of Courage, there is no other way you _should_ think."

Normally, I would have expected the side of Dark being argued by Sheik, rather than refuted in such a way.

_Something isn't right..._

A glimmer of something dark and foul flashed in the only one of his scarlet eyes that could be seen from the side profile. What was it?

Perhaps I had been hallucinating. Surely, if I had noticed such, Dark would have also. But the doppelganger made no movement, gave not even a sigh. It had to be nothing of concern.

But far in the back of my skull… the uneasy twinge remained. Sheik was hiding something from me. I would not pursue it; his conscience would force it out of him in due time. He had said it before, one evening a while past when we had been together over in Castle Town. I had dropped in for a visit with the Queen and had been ready to ride back over to Lon Lon ranch to see Talon and Malon. Passing through the town, however, I had managed to pursue my favorite shadow warrior without him noticing, all the way through the cobblestone alleys, back up around the castle grounds and beyond. He unwittingly led me to a very secret place, a small grotto at the end of the massive estate of the castle tucked away in a knoll. It was indeed one of the bigger secrets I had learned about the castle over the years. Such occurrences were not necessarily common, stumbling upon something previously unknown. But this time had been different; this had been a thing important to Sheik. For in that hill grotto, there was nothing less than the only remaining graveyard of the Sheikah race. The same cemetery where, as I learned when he noticed me looming in the brush, both his mother and Impa had been buried. His father may very well have been there as well, but as it was against Sheikah tribal law to have knowledge of one's own father's identity, there would be no way to prove such.

It was obviously significant nonetheless. I had almost passed it off as his ordinary stark personality when I had been discovered. But behind the folds in his mask, that same sparkle caught my attention. And I had acted upon my suspicion, only to find the very first glimpse of Sheik's hardened heart, an impression of what he was down beneath his steel armor of focus and self-control.

_All in due time._

The stars continued their twinkle, the waning moon giving off just enough light to make out the several silhouettes that surrounded me. Spread eagled on the grass, I had little inclination to even talk about sensitive subjects, dreading an unfortunate argument take place. Epona gave a light sniff as she curled herself into a slightly more comfortable position, her spiny hair rustling in the grass.

Dark had fallen into silent contemplation of Sheik's statement. "So that is what the Hero of Time must fulfill. A duty given him by the goddesses before his birth, he must strive to save all in need?"

"That is hardly practical," I responded. "You can't simply tell the-"

Epona's head jerked upward, eyes alert, looking for something in the darkness. The violent movement put me on edge immediately.

Everything went hush for several long moments, my ears straining to hear what Epona had.

Sheik was up on his feet, slunk low to the ground. Dark had scythe in hand, waiting for a foul turn of events.

A slight rustling of the lightest breeze among the grass was all to be heard, the chirp of a cricket, the hoot of an owl.

_Wait a second. An owl… would live in a tree._

I scoured the surrounding countryside for any traces of an outcropping from the earth, but it was no use. There were no trees, and therefore, should be no birds.

_Unless…_

Flapping erupted out of the bleak night, enveloping our small convoy with a harsh drumming, pierced by a thundering hoot caused me to look up, unsheathing my blade in caution.

A silhouette glided eerily in the darkened sky, a strange demon that chose to haunt the plains for all eternity, waiting for weary travelers to fall into its clutches. At least, that seemed to be the simplest explanation.

I handled the cold steel of the hilt, ready for an attack. To my surprise, however, both Dark and Sheik relaxed their stances, lowering their weapons as if about to greet an ally rather than foe. Instantly, it all became clear.

"Good evening, Kaepora," we three harmonized in tempo. Dark, by my childhood recollection had only met the Old Bird a scarce amount of times, respectfully added 'Gaebora' to the end of his greeting.

"Hoo HOOOO!"

One final large flap, and the floating outline tumbled to the ground in an oddly quirky manner. The large talons embedded themselves into the sod, clamping down powerfully, tearing up the thin layer of grass.

"It seems I have no specialty in the ways of the sneaky Sheikah, I am far too old and far too large to fool the expertise of the Queen's pet, the Hero of Time and a shade, it seems?"

"Your brains also seems to have scattered even farther than last we met. How is Rauru?"

"He and Impa were wed in the Chamber of the Sages last summer. The ceremony was beautiful."

Immediately, Sheik's shoulders slumped in disbelief. His eyes were big enough to take up a comical portion of the restricted sight gap in his cowl.

"How do you know? Aren't your eyes sealed upon entering the Chamber? All immortals have unless they are a Sage."

"Bah, trivialities. Could you imagine a Sagal union looking anything short of heavenly?"

A tiny image formed in the back of me that contradicted the statement, and it was all I could do not to lose my nerve and burst out in riotous laughter. A grand ceremony such as that, in something reminiscent of Dampe's old hut.

The owl bristled in the discouraging void of sight. The faint glow of the sliver on moon above made it possible to make out the faint profile. But in the dark, I managed to see the features of Kaepora's rigid avian face from another source… a ghostly red radiance from behind me.

"Dark… that's gonna be a problem in the future, you know that, right?"

The two orbs of crimson slanted sideways in curiosity, piercing the omnipresent blanket of night. "What?"

"Your eyes… they're a bit… queer, no?"

"Yes, I know. It is the same unfortunate trait that got me caught twice."

Sheik had finished having his world taken piece by piece before his eyes. Indeed, it was a rather stunning turn of events. I'd never have ever guessed that such a union would ever take place. I couldn't imagine Impa as a wife of ANYONE. She was far too dedicated to her students, and in return was the best mentor of the Sheikah race since their very Patriarch himself. Sheik had been fortunate to be her final apprentice before selection as the Sage of Shadow. Of course… now that she was a Sage, she no longer abided by the restrictions of her earthly form. And her and Rauru… it just didn't seem to fit. Of course, her and Darunia would be an even grander sight to behold.

"Caught? From what?"

"Escaping that black castle dungeon."

"Oh."

"You tried to escape twice?" I pursued.

"Three times, actually, but it was my own stupidity that landed the third. After that…. They had me broken. I didn't dare try again. The consequences became… far too dire."

"Hoo HOOOOO!" the pleasant warble vibrating the air in its full hearted tone. "Talk not of such things, they are the past. Look rather into the future and what you see farther down the road."

"Your words are indeed wise, Lord Spirit. But the future is harder to read with these handicapped eyes than your all seeing, immortal ones."

The . "How respectful, this shade. I haven't heard that title since I was a proxy on the Sage's council last summer."

"Who was absent?"

"Both Rauru and Impa. They were on their honeymoon all the way in the absolute paradise of the domain of the Golden Goddesses."

I dared not think of what might have taken place. Evidently, the other two had. Dark gave a slight gagging sound, and Sheik took a stumbling step back, as though the image had hit him with the force of a battering ram.

"Hoooo… Well, I might say that there is hope for this shade yet. Most of them are made out of pure hatred and violence, into unstoppable killing machines. But you… I think will become something indeed great. Something that will influence the course of history."

"Your prophecy is welcomed fully." Dark gave a small bow of his head.

"Don't be so polite. It reminds me far too much of work." He gave a resonating click of his beak. "I am simply admiring your impeccable temperament. Pardon me if it sounds a bit crass… but I believe that imprisonment may have had a strangely positive effect on your character."

"If you say it is so, then it is to be believed. You have seen far more lifetimes than I shall ever hope to imagine. You are an honorary praetor for both the Zora and Goron clans, are you not?"

"Indeed. It is an honorary merely… they have only consulted me on a few occasions each. I do not like to tamper with other races' politics."

Sheik had regained his thoughts, and calmed down once again. "You are still the most experienced present."

"You make me feel old."

"You ARE old."

"And I'll outlast the lot of you, as well."

Epona gave a slight sneeze. Obviously, she was annoyed that her beauty sleep was being interrupted by conversation.

"Well… You always appear when you have some extremely big sort of life-changing event to tell of. So what is it this time?" I posed.

"So impatient. As to be expected from the Hero of Time."

"Pfff."

"Well… I was just on my way to see the Queen. It turns out its more of a piece of information you may find useful. You know of the hamlet that lies ahead?"

"Indeed."

"Good. To go to the fountain, you will need a Blessed Seal. It is the key to getting in."

"Blessed Seal? I received no such authentication," Sheik interjected curiously.

"Sheikah men are an exception to the rule for their first visit, never expecting them to return. It is written in a very old codex written by your Patriarch. Though, if they do not obtain a seal upon second visit, they will be denied access."

"What does it look like?" I wondered aloud.

"Hoo hoo, you think that the Great Fairies would bother with material objects? Certainly not. It is a blessing from a very specific cleric selected by the reigning monarch."

"Zelda? She chose the current one?" The revelation caught me with a certain amount of suspicion.

"No, the current celebrant is a very old sorcerer, appointed by her great grandfather the King nearly a century and a half ago." A quick ruffling of feathers and the dull glimmer from Dark's eyes now illuminated the inverted head of the grand Spirit. I rolled my eyes, slightly more at ease after hearing that the magician was selected by kings long past.

_Well… it's not that Zelda would have picked a bad priest. Is there such a thing? Besides, at least this guy is experienced… everything will be fine._

I felt slightly ashamed that I was trying to rationalize a fear such as this in my head.

"A rather pleasant man, I was pleased to be able to take part in the conferring ritual. He was at one time considered the most knowledgeable man in the ways of magic. The oddest part about it, Zarrah cannot perform any sort of magical ability."

Surely, I must have heard incorrectly. It was Sheik, however, that pointed out such an oddity.

"A sorcerer that cannot perform magic? What sort of mage is that?"

"Ah… the most wise of their kind. It is that precise accident that had him changed from the King's personal bodyguard to an even more important post, which he has defended for the past two centuries."

"Accident?"

"Yes, a tragic event." Kaepora righted his head and bowed it low. "The King had a curse laid upon him from an evil and powerful foe. In his final act as leader of the imperial guard, Zarrah performed a ritual he concocted with a large amount of unproven magical theory. However, he lifted the curse from the King at the cost of his entire magical ability."

I felt a little sympathetic. "That…. Sucks."

"To put it in so few words, I suppose it would. But, whatever strings of the universe he pulled in order to accomplish such a feat came with some benefit. While he no longer can perform magic, he has another talent that is just as potent. He in the very authority on the ability, which he has labeled as 'Void'."

"Void?"

Dark seemed to already have an understanding of the concept. "He can control magical sinkholes?"

"Hoo HOO, you are a clever one. That is the basic idea, I suppose. His explanations can get rather long-winded."

"And that's quite a statement, coming from you."

"Well… Zarrah can no longer control magical power directly, but through some careful thought, he has become quite a force to be reckoned with, able to negate the effects of nearly every branch of magic known throughout the world. Since his handicap, he has been a frequent challenge to a number of wizardry duels."

"What's his record?" I could resist, it was quite an interesting little background story.

"Two hundred and twelve wins, zero losses, and one tie."

"Who was the tie?"

"Rauru. They both became so exhausted in the bout, they ended up falling over at the same time. It was declared a draw."

"That's… fascinating. No wonder he was given such an important duty, if not even a Sage could defeat him."

"Quite. You must find Zarrah, and explain that you are a messenger of the Queen. If he still has doubts, show him the back of your hand; he will not deny such a request to the Hero of Time. Be wary, though… do not parade around the fact. Dangerous and violent things lurk in the shadows."

I nodded my head, not sure if the Spirit could even see the gesture. "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure. How much you have grown, Link. And you too, Sheik. You both have blossomed into very handsome young men. You are lucky to have found each other in such strong bond."

With that, the mighty Lord of the Spirits spread his majestically massive wings and swung them with considerable force, enough to propel the feathery giant like an arrow into the air. A few more beats, and he was too far into the darkness to even notice.

I was quite sure I had begun to blush. Fortunately, the only light that existed was a dim red, so it was nearly impossible to tell the difference.

"Is it really that obvious?" Sheik mumbled to himself, but was audible in the still blackness of the night.

"No," Dark replied without missing a beat. "Kaepora Gaebora is no ordinary being. He has more eyes and ears than can be counted. From the lowest bug to the grandest of forests, he calls upon the very spirit of the earth for his bank of knowledge. There is very little he does not know."

Sheik hadn't expected anyone to hear him, judging by the pause. "Well… it just seems a little apparent. Two coincidences in a row, firstly with the fairy."

"You have to relax. Most wouldn't dare think too ill of you. Your reputation tends to precede you."

"It is more a curse. I am hunted many places I go."

That called for a slight interjection. "You think I'm not?"

"You are valued by many, and in a particularly bad way with some powerful entities. I do not even have the general public on my side. Those you consider allies feel not the same towards me."

"But they won't harm you, as long as they know that you are travelling with me. Their love of peace far surpasses their hatred for you."

"Enough to be civilized in conversation?"

"You ask for the world in your palms, my love."

Sheik's face contorted enough to make the draping cowl pop loud enough to hear. "I am not. It is that same attitude that will lead to trouble one day."

"What?" I raised my arms to the side as if to indicate our solitude, but it was lost on blind eyes in the uncertainty of shadow. "There's nobody here."

"Whatever. It is not worth it to argue such points to completion."

Without warning, the night became ever blacker.

"Dark?" I called into the inky void.

"Yes?" he responded in a venomous tone. At first I hadn't understood the serpentine change of voice.

"…You okay?"

"Delightful."

"…Your eyes are closed."

"Is that a problem?"

Sheik took over for a moment.

"Something is wrong?"

"My eyelids are tired. It is so much more peaceful, it makes no difference of the fact. I see nothing either way."

_This isn't right. Dark wouldn't carve his words so viciously to disguise his meaning._

"So you are certain nothing is wrong?"

"Nothing, Sheik. Everything is as it should be."

"Then why is there such a foreboding air around your tongue?"

"It is merely my…. Imagination."

"Your imagination is nowhere near as sinister."

"Oh… you would cringe at the thoughts inside my head."

My turn.

"I don't even want to imagine what Ganondorf might have done to scramble your brains so completely… but he is gone. You are safe."

"Oh… I have not been wronged by the Black King. In fact… I owe him my life."

"A life you do not value?"

"Oh, I value my life above all other things."

Crickets chirruped in the pause.

"Well… that's… good to hear…" I muttered. Had his words been in the tone I knew, the one that had reigned supreme since the time of his slaying in the Realm, I would have actually meant it.

But no… his voice had once again acquired that horribly evil, sputtering, insane tone. It was amazingly polite and yet sounded as though Ganondorf himself were being channeled through his body. Something horrible was brewing.

As abruptly as it had started, the serpentine voice was gone. In its stead, the much less sharp sigh from Dark, deep and trembling. His eyes snapped open, once again revealing the starry rubies.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Sheik demanded more than asked.

Dark took another deep breath, and prepared an obviously forced lie. "Nothing… it is simply tiring travelling so late at night. It is so very late, morning will arrive in naught but very short hours."

_So that's how he's going to play._

Sheik was pondering his next rebuttal, but it was clear Dark was not going to back down on it. His words trembled…

…something had scared the very glimmer from his eyes.

"Then let's get some rest. Tomorrow is just more of the same."

***

_This is so… unnecessarily uncomfortable._

The short grass made little effort to cushion the sharp shingles of rock. The soil underneath had been baked and crusted over by a thousand sun's rampant glares, nutrients all but steamed away. It felt like lying on a towel not rinsed after washing a horse that had gone into the swamp. Not comfortable in the least. It had been an unpleasant experience the first time making the trip, and since the dark days, it seemed to have become worse.

_Why is he being so difficult? He can't just…. keep it in his head. That isn't how it's supposed to be. _

The tingle of a light breeze brushed past the mask, funneling inward around my cheeks.

_He's asleep. He doesn't need to tell me anything. It's his right._

I rolled over, gritting my teeth at the image of the powdered up dirt finding its way into my hair to sit until the next chance to bathe would be.

_Which won't be anytime soon_.

It was all I could do to block out the horrendous thought of going an entire trip in such a manner. That is the ultimate insult that can be given in such a situation.

_Its ripping him apart at the mental seems. Such terrible fear is… reserved for the minds of the weak…_

Unable to accept the mindset forged into a Sheikah warrior's head by countless years of mentorship and training, a grimace spidered across my lips.

_No… fear is his humanity. Everyone has something they are scared of. Even… me._

It was no use, there was no relieving position one could possibly ever find relaxing out on the plain.

_Eh… How can Link sleep like this?_

I curled up to my knees, stretching my back tensely, shivering out all the tiny grains adhering to my clothing. I fell back into my regular sleeping position. As painful as it seems, I find no great displeasure sleeping thusly. All that I could hear was the light breathing of the sleeping figure of Link ruffling a blade of grass.

_Yes… you can find a way to have him open up. Somewhere deep in your soul, where you two are joined the most._

Another light breeze. It was futile to try and connect to him by thought, in the dark, while he was asleep.

_He sounds so peaceful… not a care in the world. What does he dream of? The future, past, or present? Or something that will never happen._

I looked up to the stars… and I knew.

_Something that will never pass, so it is..._

For but a moment after the final insect had finished its tune, nothing could be heard except for the slumbering Hero.

_There should be two._

Dark was gone.

_How did I not notice? Have I become so soft, that he could leave without my knowing?_

My teeth nearly cracked as they were forced together in rage.

_A simple killer in the night could have slain in our sleep. Then… the quest would be over, and Hyrule would be doomed. _

The situation at hand took over once again.

Hopping up, no other sounds could be heard. Everything was still… and Dark was far away in the black. How far? Where had he gone? Was he coming back? Or was he…

Dreadful thoughts, as they tend to, clouded the situation.

…_planning on staying there forever?_

Hardly had it been forgotten the events earlier in the night. It could not be assumed that his state of mind, evidently more fragile than expected, was all in order. There was little doubt that if left alone, the demons of his memories would eat him alive from the inside out, and then undeniably kill him.

_This is the truth?_

Millions of synapses fired off all at once, the surge of electricity flowing down to jumpstart a sprint, but it was of no use. Running at any speed is only useful if there is a destination expected to arrive at. He had to be found quickly, but rushing would only lead to lost time.

_There is always a trace; that is Sheikah rule. But… what hint is not covered up by shadow?_

Hundreds of possibilities flooded my conscious stream, just as rapidly eliminating the most impossible.

_Body heat only works within a few minutes. Academic, he does not have a temperature. Scent… he has none. Shades are little more than ghosts with physical structure. _

The dragging of time caused an infusion of fear within the bounds of logic. My fingers interlocked with each other impatiently.

_There is little time. What I would do for a bit of…_

The cool metal and precious stone rubbed the inside of my palm.

…_light._

Of course…. The fiera. It could provide some of the most necessary help in tight situations.

_To be used in the darkest of times. _

Indeed, there were very few instances that could be any more correct. And all that was needed was a few words of the ancient language of the Sages. It is no secret dialect; many are able to speak it fluently, including myself. But only those with exceptional spiritual power are able to wield the magic they represent. To do so as a lesser, normal being resulted in a dreadfully weak spell or, in the worst of occasions, death due to overdrawing the spirit. But with a fiera… one has much more freedom. It allowed for the non-magically inclined to cast useful and even terrifying spells. Many sorcerers wore them merely for the security; with the infinite expanses within the trinket often lied enough energy to provide for all but the most difficult of spells, certainly enough to repel several assailants at once. The tides of several historic battles were turned for reasons related to such sacred objects. Their rarity, however, often meant that there would be perhaps two across an entire battlefield, if at all.

Outstretching the specific arm, two words escaped. "Kodul lyita."

It is to be noted that when announcing a spell, the wording should be very specific. Any room for ambiguity could cause a horrendous reaction, much like the incident just following.

The ring blinked to life, and my vision went white. I averted my eyes, forcing the lids shut and drawing the hood down, and it still shone through. Blazing with the intensity of a star, the fiera seemed to have an incredible amount of energy pent up.

"Kodul mivr lyita!" I shouted into the cowl, muffling the yell, hoping to dull the light before it became a beacon for all sorts of misfortune.

Plunged into darkness once again, circles continued to float in the air momentarily as residual damage slowly subsided.

Only after they had gone did my lids lift. The fiera had taken on a dim golden glimmer, perfectly illuminating a giant circle in the field.

_He must have seen something… if he still retains the ability._

Surely enough, after only a few minutes of hurried searching, distant footsteps stomped closer.

_Footsteps… but… who's are they? Dark? _

It was not the pace that caused fright. It was that which did not accompany them.

_His eyes would be alight. Who else could it be, though? Did I wake Link?_

The radiating band was held high, eager to get a glimpse at the mysterious arrival. But as the figure stepped into the light…

_His eyes are closed, for what purpose?_

"What are you doing?"

Dark lifted his eyelids and stared at me harshly. In his hand, he held the coal black scythe, rather menacing in the lighting. He planted the shaft into the ground with a soft thud."I'm wondering why the night turned to day for a moment, only to hear your voice yell out and extinguish it."

_Hmmm… he seems… normal._

"Alright… what were you doing just before? Walking around with your eyes closed."

"I was learning to prevent catastrophe."

_Suspicious._

"How do you mean?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "I am learning to function without the benefit of sight. You know the importance of such a skill…. Shadow warrior."

_Indeed._

"Is it what Link said earlier?"

"He only reconfirmed my already existing fears. I have been conscious of this undesirable trait for a long time, and have failed to deal with it. Now, I am. To protect you both."

_So he is selfless in his intentions?_

"You aren't being completely honest with me."

Dark's head drooped low. "That obvious?"

"I have learned all of Link's little tells since he was a child, some of which you still retain. You cross your arms behind your back. You are not lying… but you aren't telling the whole truth, judging by the angle of your feet."

Dark sighed lightly. "Like a book, eh?"

"No… a book, I would need to open the binding. Perhaps more akin to that of an already opened scroll?"

"Scrolls are stupid. A codex is a much more efficient way of record. More organized."

"You have read many to fostser such strong opinion?"

"Hundreds of each. I had little else to do in the dungeons of the black castle."

"They had reading material in a dungeon?"

Dark looked at me oddly. "What, don't they all?"

I had no response. Of course… he had not experienced another actual keep other than Ganondorf's twisted dungeons. The Sacred Realm was banishment, not imprisonment.

Dark laughed.

_He's in better spirits, anyway. _

"No, there weren't. I was able to befriend the night watchman."

"Befriend, a fiend of Ganon? Surely you are hyperbolizing."

"Not in the least. You assume that all of His minions were evil."

"Is there any other way to look at it?"

"If you think not… then you are your own contradiction. I would dare say you have at least befriended me, and I am not merely a minion…. But a creation."

_He's good._

I remained silent.

"He was much like myself… a forced servant. He managed to have the luck to be put on duty rather than thrown in the dungeon. I suppose I am a rather special case, anyway. It was he that helped me escape all those times." His expression hardened. "They figured it out after the third attempt. I never saw him again. Another reason I dared not attempt it."

_Understandable. _

"Your price became too great for one mind to bear?"

"That has… a startling amount of accuracy."

"Explain."

I waited a few moments before deciding he was not about to give in easily.

"Please."

"I do not want to damage your view of me."

_So hesitant. _

"My view of you right now is undefined, as I have not yet created one completely. It is an ongoing process that will take the rest of your life to complete."

"Exactly. It wouldn't bode well for such a crushing blow so early on."

_Just say it already._

"I would rather hear it now then later, and lose trust in you."

Dark sighed, drawing in long.

_That's right… take a deep breath._

"Then I will tell you when I have the right words. That way, no trust is tarnished; I have already given you a promise."

_Dammit… he's good._

"When might I expect these words?"

"When you are absolutely ready to hear them."

_Typical. _

"Fine, then you won't tell me what is bothering you. You and Link both are stubborn. But you… you are different from him in so many ways."

"Curious… what do you find so?"

"Your unwillingness to accept help and affection both come to mind rather quickly."

The orbs bobbed down slightly, a lid closing partially around one. "Affection… is not one of my strong suits."

"Then let's work on it… starting right now."

"That is unnec-" But I had refused to listen. I wrapped my arms around him, feeling only a tiny twitch from Dark.

"...thank you," he whispered mechanically, tensing akin to that of a common villager who received the same gesture from me.

"You're not relaxing. Try it. I'm not going to hurt you… unless you don't cooperate." I nuzzled his chin slightly with the crown of my skull, hoping to coax him into it. It always works for Link… he should be little different.

The broad shoulders slumped lower ever so slowly, honey dripping down a beehive on a cold morning.

Would I be able to kill him, if he so chose?

_Of course not._

And yet, such was the very purpose of the problem.

_But why? Why would I not be able to kill as I once had, long ago in the days of darkness, not so long ago in the issues of the Queen… why not? _

An image flashed through my memory… the strange sensation of Dark's embrace reminds of the incident at the lake, long enough ago to look back on it in shame.

_I had been ready to snap his neck in two with nothing more than a flick of a knuckle. Why is it not still so? None other have received such treatment, other than…Link._

There was one simple reason. A guilty thought.

_Do I feel for him as I do for his origin? But I love Link._

Such a fact, though, seemed rather superfluous.

_They are one and the same… and yet, so different. Is it wrong to love them…. Both?_

***

_I don't even WANT to know._

I bolted upright before the flash had ended, only to hear Sheik shout something a long ways off. As I became aware of space and time from rousing up from sleep, the sky dimmed once again. The only thing that remained was a bright glow quite a ways away. I strained my eyes in the dark, but was able to recognize the rather... feminine figure of Sheik holding up the source. Too far to shout… and he seemed to be walking even farther away.

_What in the world is he doing? They must have seen that all the way over in Zora's domain._

I immediately rushed to my feet, almost overcome by the lightheadedness that accompanied such a rude transition of bodily movement. Just have to breathe, it will pass.

The light in the distance bobbed slowly, and the blood painfully returned to my brain. I gingerly began off toward the flare. Hours seemed to pass, even as my pace quickened with the revitalization of movement. Such a huge gap, creeping closed with every step. Sheik had stopped now, and I was barely able to make out his figure. Across from him stood Dark in the tiny halo of light.

_What is all this?_

The separation had closed sufficiently enough that Sheik was within shouting distance. I cupped my hands and raised them to my face, ready to

But… Sheik took one step forward, and threw his arms around Dark. The call died before it even began. Why?

_Jealousy? Surely not. Could one be jealous of himself? _

***

________________________________________

Alright…. Yeah, I know it was a long wait for so little more. I should be able to write slightly more often now, perhaps. I realized shortly into it that I would hit a wall. I had absolutely no way to resolve the problem short of undoing the entire first part. I made it work out… that was the spot where POV changed. It's a device, and it works. … ……not much else to say about it. Comments welcomed ^_^. I finished it today, and I only sort of kinda went through it a few times to make sure everything worked, but I may have missed some stuff. I need to go back and correct everything eventually. That'll be the next project. Next Chapter release: TBA 0_0 should start to get really good soon.


	12. Chapter 12

Aglyphis XII

The early rays hadn't yet crested the horizon, and already we were on the move. Today in particular, we had left earlier than usual. Epona seemed sluggish in the cold morning air, unable to shake the haze of sleep as well at such an hour. Eight days so far across the wicked plains, eight nights on the cold ground.

And for seven days, I had waited quietly.

Pleasant conversation was how we passed the time, listening to stories of old and arguments over discrepencies of legends, and all else that came about in the sprawling meanderings that accompanied the toilsome leagues that melted by with no particular hurry. There was little else to do, day after dragging day on a horseback trek across the flat plains. If it weren't for the travelling company, it would have been an excruciatingly dull trip.

_And Sheikah boys did this alone? Must've been bored as fuck._

Dark was rather intrigued by history of the ancients as well as retellings of battles long past, while Sheik seemed to be just as interested in the recountings of the secret working of the life of an imprisoned doppelganger Hero.

I listened in along with the conversations, taking enjoyment of the social exposure if not in interactivity. Oftentimes, I simply was excluded by proximity as Epona strayed farther at some points from the others. But still… one topic had eluded the happenings of chatter, the one I found most remarkable. I dare not even mention it, and the other two were seemingly unaware I had even witnessed the nocturnal occurrence. So, I simply went where the banter led. Perhaps it was a little conspicuous.

"You're being quiet, Link," Sheik mentioned shortly after dawn had broken on the ninth day.

_Ahh, they noticed, _I scolded myself mentally.

A completely unrelated and conveniently placed yawn luckily passed my lips. "Tired, more of it."

"That can't be all," he countered sharply. "Your mouth runs faster than the mailman with bunny ears. Something bothering you?"

"It's nothing to worry about."

I almost thought I had gotten away before Sheik pulled his stallion in front of Epona, forcing a halt. "Remember what happened last time you said that?" he enunciated for effect.

I sighed and racked my brain, trying to recall the specific occasion. It was actually a rather shameful occurrence.

"Yeah… that old bow snapped in my hand?"

"Precisely. And what happened?"

I remained silent in the secondary lapse.

"It got infected. You almost lost your sword hand," he jeered, answering his own jagged query.

"Well, I'm not hurt," I mumbled to the ground, hoping to look anywhere but at Sheik.

"Outside, perhaps," Dark ventured, sliding slightly back onto the warhorses rump. "You're trying to lie to yourself too, you know. It's not a very effective use of your time and breath."

"Well, if you know everything that goes through my head, then you don't even need to ask, so shut the fuck up," I snapped back.

_Oops._

The other two remained silent, staring in the shadow of morn at me from the back of their mount with widened eyes.

_Well… they'll just think it's from waking up so early._

The equine obstruction eventually edged out of the way, and we proceeded forward in silence for several minutes. It was Dark who finally broke it.

"The town is just over the horizon."

"Yeah, sure. That's what I've been telling myself for the past twenty horizons," I admitted, hoping to alleviate any tension in the air.

"But this time, it is true."

I looked to the far curvature of the Godesses globe, seeing no rooftops or other remarkable structures distinguishable from the bleak flatness that spanned every bit of the earth within sight. "How do you figure?"

"Look to the very edge of the world, do you see? The rays of the sun nearly cresting above the rotundity of distant fields? Do you see the shadow along where light touches earth?" He raised his hand out to point directly forward, his arm passing over Sheik's shoulder.

I traced the line from his hand toward the distant arc of the plains. Almost imperceptible along the thin white meniscus of light, a tiny section perhaps the width of a finger held at arm's length was dulled ever so slightly, breaking the otherwise perfectly illuminated rim.

And by midday, it had been proved correct. Rupturing the horizon was a single black tower with the very tops of several dozen more smaller buildings just cresting into view, clustered together in the middle of the otherwise barren landscape. A few outlier constructions seemed to have functions related to the sustainability of the village, with large crops and grazing fields extending out behind the cluster to an impressive extent.

"Well I'll be. There IS something out here. I was beginning to think I was being lied to," I stated cynically, shielding the sun from my eyes to get a better look.

"It looks rather …quaint, don't you think so?" Dark admired.

"If it is still the same as it was the last time… there is only one real point of interest," Sheik advised. The only one present that had traveled to the isolated bordertown before, he had been giving helpful reminders all morning. "We should stay only as long as necessary. It is the last stop before the longer trek towards the Northern Fountain, so we shall need provisions set."

"Do you happen to know what currency they use there?" Dark asked off-handedly. "I'd hate to have to steal things from those who don't deserve it."

"I'm not sure… ever since the queen changed Hyrule's currency to coins, there isn't much consistency with border towns and travelers from other nations."

"Seems a bit odd, changing to a non-universal system. What was wrong with rupees?"

Sheik's head turned ever so slightly. "They have much greater uses than a simple value-holder. The crystals have several utilities, and there simply aren't enough to support the rapid inflation of Hyrule."

"What else are they used for?" Dark mumbled. "I've heard of dealings in rupee dust from dungeon guards, but I have never been so deep into the market to learn of their uses outside of their usage within prison."

"OOO, I know this one," I answered with a bit of exuberance, nearly jumping up in my saddle. "Rupee dust is used in binding of magicks to items, as well as for reinforcing small metal craft." I eyed Sheik, who's obscured face made it hard to tell his reaction. "AND making them stainless."

"You were actually listening?" Sheik asked in disbelief.

"I at least TRY to most of the time."

"That's reassuring. So tell me, is it safe to ingest?"

"Um…." I hummed, trying with all the might in the world to remember. "Yes?"

"Lucky guess. What is it used for when sprinkled in syrus tea?"

"Uh…. teeth whitening?" I offered without the slightest thought. I hadn't a clue.

"Wrong," interjected Dark. "Digestive problems. It's also an extremely effective laxative."

A suspicious glance at the shade rolled the question off my tongue so innocently. "How do you know that?" Immediately, however, I could tell it wasn't the right thing to say.

The red glow upon his face dimmed, creating an eerie shadow along his face. His voice quieted, and the faintest crack of an ill-placed smile appeared. His posture shifted, and he moved back on the horse, further from Sheik, turning away. "The only things given to prisoners of Ganondorf were the very driest biscuit crackers, baked under the suns of the desert, and moldy syrus tea leaves steeped with Rupee dust. What little there is to nurture the body is gone shortly after. There is not enough to remain alive, unless you are lucky and smart. Most perish before hunger takes them…" He looked up, his echoing voice now at a near hiss, "..however, if you pleased the guards, they would sometimes bring you the bodies of those that had deceased that day. You never think something so repulsive can seem like a banquet among the mortar and stone of the deepest pits of hell."

"You actually ate-" I started, but was unable to finish.

"LINK!" Sheik shouted loud enough to ensure the next words, even if said, would remain unheard.

"What?"

"You inconsiderate BASTARD."

"I was GOING to ask him if he actually was given sunbaked crackers. Those things used to go for eighty rupee in the marketplace. What would Navi say? Plus 10 hearts?"

"Health replenished up to 10 hearts," Dark whispered among subdued laughter. "Doesn't work quite that way in the dungeons."

"See? He gets it!" I exclaimed. "YOU, mister tightneck, need to understand that a little bit of humor can help in the healing processes."

"Link," Sheik said sternly. His diamond gaze fell momentarily upon the back of Dark's head before relocking with mine, indicating something of suspicion.

Dark was still chuckling to himself, quite forebodingly. He had spun around and balanced on the very edge of the saddle, finding the most precarious seating to be found upon the mount. Something was indeed amiss.

_He's not that confident on horseback... is he? _

Evidently, Sheik was quite disturbed at this realization. He pulled back on the reigns hard, and the mountainous warhorse came to a grinding halt, a little too quickly. Dark lost his seating, slipping off the side of the saddle and to the ground. Catching himself, a gasp mixed of surprise and chilling dread passed his teeth.

"What was so funny?" I wondered out loud enough for the shade to hear.

"Oh… just thinking," he said in a slightly hurried fashion, recovering his balance by grabbing a strap along the saddle. The sudden, unexpected shifting seemed to have knocked normality back into him.

"About what?" Sheik pursued.

"..plus ten hearts," Dark stammered nervously, readying to remount, but Sheik barred his way.

"Try that again," he insisted.

Dark stared up from below, face furrowed in disbelief. "There's nothing more to tell."

"You know, Dee," I picked up, leaning in from the back of Epona, "Now you're the one trying to lie to yourself. You're absolutely right… it doesn't work at all."

"Well then, you would understand the sort of reasonings behind such reluctance. Now, it's your turn to 'shut the fuck up'," he replied with a trembling yet confident manner that highlighted the irony of my own words. Fixing one foot into the stirrup, he remounted, a little bit further back from Sheik than he previously had been. "We all have our secrets."

"Fine." He had me there. I wondered momentarily on a different topic. "So…. what do we have to do before we get there again?"

Sheik's gaze finally unlocked off of Dark, who seemed lost it thought, staring down into the grass. "We should change our clothings before much longer. We'll need a blindfold as well. You remember the story, Dark?"

The shade looked up at the mention of his name. "Blinded during the raid on Castle Town during the black ages?"

"Good. Link?"

"He's my brother, and you are the travelling guide. We're on an expedition to find the wizard Zarrah, we were told that he can restore his sight."

"Simple enough," Sheik agreed. "Now, if you are asked anything related to our purpose continuing north?"

"We need some rare herbs that can be found only there," Dark suggested, if a bit aloofly.

"Im just gonna tell them it's none of their damn business," I added. "Whoever's asking probably doesn't care enough to become suspicious. For all they know, we're lying our shirts off either way."

"We WILL be lying our shirts off," Sheik observed lazily.

"And so are they. It's gonna be a bunch of lowlifes who don't really need the attention; they're not going to be starting anything that we won't be able to finish quietly."

And with that, we rode on. The sun dipped lower in the sky with each passing hour, the golden rays turning the sky a spectrum of every color. It was quite beautiful.

"We need to get rid of this saddle, as well," Dark observed after a silence of several hours.

"Indeed. It has imperial markings," Sheik agreed after a few moments consideration.

"Seems wasteful. Can't we sell it in town? Say you stole it or something? I just don't want to see a nice saddle get left in the middle of nowhere to rot," I tried to reason.

"We cannot afford the attention," Sheik stated simply.

"It may foster suspicions about us outside travelers and to our ends," Dark added precisely following.

"Alright," I sighed at length, looking forlornly at the rather ornate leatherworking upon the warhorse. "Toss it, then. But that means we'll have to get a new one, eventually. Not good to ride too long without a saddle."

"Oh, that shouldn't be too much trouble," Sheik whispered to himself.

***

By the end of our approach, the day was nearly at its own close. We waited until the night had fallen to approach town, the meager lighting from the buildings an amplified beacon on the dark plains, but not quite enough to ride with. We proceeded on foot, leading the two exhausted horses in the final stretch. Each of us had donned our new attire, after much micromanaging from Sheik.

"You're wearing your top too center, Link. The blindfold seems a bit loose, Dark." Without check, he would keep finding imperfections until there either none were left or until it would become too dark to tell. Thus was his paranoia.

I tugged at the new clothing, which seemed to have been woven with the most uncomfortable textile ever invented, scratchy and annoying like burlap, yet heavy and sweltering like thick leather.

Sheik had claimed the most fashionable of garments, a blue gown-like tunic that fell to just above the ankle, his normal hood replaced with a similar one of a faded orange color. While still definite peasant clothing, it was quite a few notches improvement over whatever this was he had deferred to the less fortunate.

"You're an asshole, you know that? Why do YOU get the good clothing?" I joked.

"Because I can actually FIT in it."

"Are you calling me fat?"

He turned his head away ashamedly . "This… is technically women's clothing," he mumbled.

I almost laughed, but held my tongue after thinking of the prospect of how dearly I would pay for it. Dark wasn't quite so studious, letting a single chortle pass.

"I think it looks wonderful on you," I admired playfully.

"That had better be a genuine compliment," he chided.

I leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek, underlining the authenticity of the remark. "Believe me now?" I asked with a sprinkled edge of adoration.

"No. This thing looks like it was meant to be working wear for a housekeeper."

"It's better than whatever the hell this is you gave ME," I defended, scratching an itch on my left shoulder. "You should be happy to have gotten something that wasn't trying to eat you alive."

Dark trod slowly, holding onto the saddle horn for guidance in his blind state, sporting the same general attire as myself. He had his new weapon held tightly in the other hand, getting a feel for his walking staff. "I think it was made from some sort of animal feed," he piped up from the rear.

I glanced back to see Epona attempting to take a small nibble out of the front of Dark's shirt.

"Very close," Sheik corrected, "it's made from a plant known as the Crkaa Zvesu, Horse Weed. They are fully entranced by it in refined form. Like horsenip, if you will. A rather useful herb for trainers."

"So why am I _wearing_ it?"

"Cause it's a weed, and it's durable enough to weave," he answered bluntly. "It's cheap, so peasants wear it."

"That's a dumb idea. I'd almost rather not wear anything at all than deal with this stuff," I interjected.

"That would be a very bad idea," Sheik advised. "Public exposure of oneself is punishable by public shaming in the gallows."

"Since when?"

"Since about a year and a half ago. You remember the public flogging that you refused to attend?"

The memory struck me with terrifying clarity. "That was for THAT?"

"The barons had changed the law that morning. They felt a need to demonstrate their authority."

"Well, that's a dumb fuckin' law. Who the hell GAVE them that kind of clout?"

"If you are implying that the queen is kowtowing to their wishes, she most certainly is not."

"Did I say that?"

"The barons have levered far too much power from the throne; it is not solely the monarch's decision anymore. If the barons are in universal accordance… they have the authority to overrule even the Queen."

"Sheik, I didn't say anything like that. I'm just wondering how the fuck they managed to get their greedy, money-grubbing fingers on that kind of power with so few brains in their heads!"

"I…" he paused for a long moment. "I don't know. They ardently pursued the need for equality in the distribution of power in the kingdom, and they got the public support. Turns out they were more concerned with their own well being. You'd know things like that if you weren't always dashing off into the woods on some other adventure or another."

I felt a slight sting from his words. "Do you mean you want me to stay nearer the castle because of political reasons… or so I'd be closer to YOU?"

"Stricltly political," he responded without even the slightest waiver. "Perhaps then you would understand the reasons behind some of the more… shameful acts that the crown is forced to agree with."

" Remind me to have a nice little chat with these barons when we get back."

"It would be a decision, Link. The barons are incredibly influential and almost as stubborn. You won't be able to sway their decision with simple words."

"Oh, you thought I was actually going to TALK to them."

"Don't even play like that, Link. They will think nothing of hanging the Hero of Time. They do not need to think within rational boundaries when they can simply redefine rationality."

"So they're insane, that's it?"

"It doesn't matter WHAT they are, Link. There is nothing anyone can do. Collectively, they control nearly three quarters of the armed forces in Hyrule. Only the elite Castle Guard and a few remaining cavalry battalions remain under the throne's control. And… well…. me."

_Holy SHIT. I really DID miss a lot, I guess. Too much time adventuring down south._

Before I was able to respond, however, Sheik's hand darted up to signal silence. His eyes were locked dead ahead. I tried to follow his stare, but the darkness had left me rather impared. The closest structure from the town was still a ways, leaving me clueless as to what he may have noticed.

"What's wrong?" Dark asked curiously.

"Theres…. something in the air."

I sniffed the light breeze as it blew, hoping to catch the slightest hint. I found nothing.

"No…" Dark groaned. "It's not a scent… it's…"

"A weird sort of tingling?" Sheik offered.

"Yeah… like the stinging cold of winter biting at your nose and ears."

As the two described it, I quickly began to realize the very sensation they spoke of. I hadn't noticed it because it was so faint, but it was so.

"That's… odd," was all I could manage.

"It is, isn't it?" Dark agreed. "Can you see what's causing it?"

"_No",_ came a whisper that made the back

In unison, we three learned that the chilling rasp wasn't just in our imagination. "Did you hear that?" was the general question.

"Y_our journey is folly. You are not welcome here."_

I looked around, but there was nobody other than ourselves. The voice seemed to travel on the wind, heard through the spirit rather than the ear.

"Uh…." Dark stammered.

"Why the hell NOT?!" I demanded, shouting towards the heavens hoping that the voice would hear.

"Link," Sheik warned sternly, "Do not try to goad it. You do not know what sort of black magic is at work here."

"_Leave, and your lives will be spared. The evil you seek has already begun."_

"What the fuck IS the evil?!" I yelled again, suspicious of how such a ghastly occurrence could know such detail. "Who ARE you?"

_"The true meaning of the Hero of Time has yet to be seen."_

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sheik queried loudly as I had, but there was no response. The voice had vanished into the thin air from whence it had come. "WELL?!"

Again, there was nothing. We stood there in the silence for what seemed an age, but nothing further would come.

"Well… that was strange," Dark finally broke the silence.

"Strange?" I huffed. "That's a bit of an understatement."

"The true meaning of the Hero of Time has yet to be seen?" Sheik mumbled. "Something's not right. The legends say that the Hero was supposed to save Hyrule from the Dark Lord, and that was the end of turmoil."

"Well… by the sounds of it, I obviously didn't kill the right Dark Lord."

"Of COURSE you did. What other Dark Lord could they possibly have meant?"

"Well…." I thought for a moment, "maybe Ganondorf's not…."

"DON'T even finish that sentence," Sheik warned, ending the subject for the moment. "That's not possible. Let's go."

***

"How's the beds?" I asked Dark, thankfully shedding the unbearable layer of greenery.

The shade was resting on one of the two thick, lumpy mattresses that had been jammed into the corner of the room. It had been the only one available for an affordable rate at the local inn. "Rather uncomfortable," he groaned, tossing onto his side. "They charged how much for this room?"

"You can't even SEE it and you can tell it's ugly?"

"Well… considering that they accepted coin currency, it doesn't really matter how it looks. We'll only be here a night."

"One night? Two," I corrected.

"You're not going to go try and find Zarrah tonight?" Dark inquired with a slight disbelief.

"Pff. The guys two hundred years old. He's probably in bed by two in the afternoon."

"Such a powerful mystic would surely have comparatively greater vitality."

"Whatever, I'll find him tomorrow. Wouldn't do well to fall asleep during a discussing history-altering events."

Dark sat up slowly, feeling his way down the bed. "In that case, I'd best be leaving."

"Why?" I inquired, turning my head up as I watched him walk very slowly toward the door.

"Well, I guess if you two will be sharing a bed… I'll leave you two alone until your private matters are done with."

I chuckled quietly. "First off, I don't think Sheik would be very enthusiastic about something like that in so public a place."

"Don't be too sure about that," Dark murmured to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing," he assured hurriedly. "Secondly?"

"Secondly…what?"

"Well," Dark wandered, "You said 'first off', so that would imply that there's a 'second off'."

"….Weeeeeellllllllllllll….. I'm not sure he'd mind you being in the room even if we were."

The blindfold suddenly turned upward as Dark's ears perked at the suggestion. "Well… I'll just go check the horses then." He proceeded out the door, and I thought I saw the slightest hint of a very sprightly smile as he closed it behind him. The slight tapping of the base of his scythe against the ancient wooden flooring dulled with each passing step, down the stairway toward the lobby.

For such a small town, there seemed to be a surprising population. How many were permanent residents and how many were just passing through, I hadn't the foggiest; there was little difference in the daily lives of either. Both sold and bought and traded freely among each other everything from fresh fruit to jewelry stolen from distant lands, everyone seemed to coalesce into one melting pot of foreigners and locals that blended seamlessly into the landscape, out in the middle of nowhere.

I turned back to the window, staring out at the large spire. The tingling had slowly progressed as we had gotten closer to the town, intensifying to a dull throb as we had passed that same turret before dropping off again as we had passed. _This sensation… it's because of that tower?_

I heard a loud click of the door opening. Dark had returned, so it seemed.

"That didn't take very long."

"Link… tell me what's wrong."

I whipped around almost too quickly, nearly knocking myself off my feet. It wasn't Dark; it was someone I admittedly didn't want to see. Sheik was leaning up against the inside doorframe.

"I can't."

"Why the fuck not?"

_So he's going to be like THAT._

"Because nothing IS wrong," I countered.

"Then why are you so angry all of a sudden?"

"I'm not angry," I replied in as level a tone as I could muster.

"You couldn't fit that load of flaming Dodongo shit into a Giant's Wallet."

"Sheik, I'm not angry."

"Then tell me what you are."

"Hungry, more than anything," I dodged with perfect fluidity. "Is it about time for dinner?"

"You're avoiding the question."

"I'm not avoiding anything."

I lifted my head, however, only to find the two crimson slits staring back at me, just inches from my face.

"Say that to my face, Link. Look into my eyes, and say that everything is alright."

His piercing gaze scared the crap out of me. I tried to even just glance, but I couldn't. I could stare Death itself straight in the face, and not blink. But with Sheik, it nearly made me cry.

The back of my palm right hand began to feel warm. A wash of invisible courage overtook me, and I found it possible to match his soul-boring eyes for several moments.

"Ev… everything is…"

The tips of his blonde hair scuttled across my forehead in the light breeze that crossed the room.

"F…fi…"

He drew closer, and I saw a twinkle in those mystical orbs.

"…f…fuck." My gaze fell once again, defeated.

_Even the Triforce can't help me lie. But why should it? It is a symbol of truth._

"See, you can't do it," the crowding mask growled.

"Go away."

"I'm not letting up until you tell me what's going on in here," Sheik whispered scoldingly, tapping the crown of my skull with his index.

"So I can't have secrets?" I asked rather roughly, half pushing Sheik away and half backing away from him. "You never tell me anything, but you get the rights to my thoughts?" His hypocrisy was becoming quite annoying.

"That is for your own protection. Please, I don't want this to turn into a fight. Something is affecting you, and all I want is to help you."

"Then just let it go. It'll make it all the more simple."

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I can't just sit by and watch you suffer."

"Who say's I'm suffering?"

Sheik shot me a despondent glance. "YOU are, even if your words do not."

"So why are you prying into something that you say is so obviously meant to be kept from you?"

"Because I have an assignment to complete, and I'll be damned if I let it fail because you are keeping secrets."

My face began to burn, and a fountain of resentment began to spill over. "So it's about you then? You and your fucking assignment? Well, maybe you forgot that you're not the only one who went on this expedition on the whims of a demented, abused priestess and a queen whose priorities have been mangled to the point beyond recognition!"

Sheik stared back at me, the shouts still ringing in the absolute silence of the room. His insides were undoubtedly at war over how to deal with the slicing words. Indeed, I had put him in a tight spot. He was ready to throttle me for speaking ill of Zelda, and yet remained completely against the option of causing me harm of any kind. His hands gripped into tight fists, the veins spidering up his arms. His stare, however, did not waver. "You take that back," he demanded steely.

"Make me."

"Even a Hero must account for his actions, Link."

"Oh yeah? Well here's an action for you."

I spun around, kicked the door outward, and slammed it behind me, rattling the walls. I wanted nothing more to be away from there.

***

_I'm such a child. _

I sat on a stool at the bar, staring depressedly at the freshly emptied glass upon the table in front of me.

_Sheik's gonna kill me._

I observed the dwindling pile of coins upon the table, thinking ever so faintly about the provisions we were supposed to get before we left.

"Alright, I think you've had enough." The voice was unmistakable in the near-empty tavern, behind me. My own voice, as a matter of the fact.

"I've had enough when I'm rood and geddy," I stumbled, lifting my head up woozily.

"I believe you're 'rood and geddy' right about when you can't pronounce 'good and ready'."

I didn't care. I was already in a fog; I might as well enjoy it.

"HEY!" I shouted over-enthusiastically as I turned in my seat, nearly falling off in the attempt. "Dunnt matter which way I can talk, I can sit here just fine by myself, if you're gonna be harassing me too."

"And WHY exactly are you here by yourself? You should know better. There are dangerous things that lurk about."

"I'll take em' on one by one, you see if I don't."

"See, that's the problem. You have enough enemies that you won't always have the luxury of doing things one by one."

I looked at him. At least, I looked at the figure within the blurred outline. "You're the most over-protective shade I ever heard of."

Dark's ears perked up, listening for others around the near-empty tavern. Only a party of three across the room remained, and they were deep in drunken recantations of journeys and the ilk. "You would do well not to mention such things around people," he whispered. "You do not know their intentions. Now, why don't you tell me of the real reason you're here."

I ashamedly lowered my face into my arms upon the table. "Sheik and I got in a fight," I mumbled into the oak slab.

"I heard. I was looking outside near the horse pasture for an hour. I finally found Epona in one of the fields, so I guessed you were here instead."

"Why'd you go look in the pasture?" I hummed, lifting my face from my arm.

"Because that's where'd I'd most likely be if I had been in your position. I suppose we are more different than you had previously thought."

The lights blurred together as I looked the blindfolded copy in the face. "You know… there was a time when I would have been out there riding to blow off some steam… but that ended juuuust about the time I realized that, fuck, everything out there belongs to somebody now. Ever since Zelda proclaimed the biggest part of the field 'castle territory', its just outrageous what they can get away with."

The blind man's head cocked to the side, as if in curious recollection. "It didn't look that different when we were crossing it."

"You didn't get to see the whole thing. They have tolls for going through certain parts now."

"That's… ridiculous." His expression was clouded by the wide cloth. "Like where?"

"Well… mostly along the roads to the desert and the Gerudo territories."

"I probably don't want to know, but why?"

"Xenophobia, pissed off advisors, corrupt politicians…. Dunnt take much anymore."

Dark remained quiet, testing the flooring in front of him. Assuring the position of the stool with one hand, he gingerly took a seat next to me. "You still never answered my question."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you sitting in here?"

"I told you already."

"No, you told me why you weren't upstairs. There are several places you could have gone, why did you choose here?"

It felt as if he were criticizing my mode of steamletting. "Cause I fuckin' felt like it, alright?"

"What could possess you to want to come here? It's big, open, public, and…" His nose scrunched up, creasing the blind, "…sort of fetid."

"It's a tavern! What else do you expect?"

"…Nothing. I just never understood why anybody would appreciate a place like this."

It all suddenly became as clear as such cloudy vision could allow.

_He's doesn't understand. Not so different than what I thought, all those long years ago. His opinion just hasn't changed._

"Good. I hope you never do. The more you like it, the more you simply want to shut out the world and everything else in it."

"Is that what you're doing here?" he posed innocently after a moment of thought.

My head fell into my right hand, elbow propped up on the bar. "I don't think I'll ever be that bad. People like that don't tend to live very long, fulfilling lives. I just enjoy an ale every once in a while."

"Or three," Dark corrected as his fingers passed over the glasses in turn, his hands exploring the bar, learning his surroundings.

I looked at the empty glasses on the wooden counter. "Well…" I started, hoping to avoid looking as though I had a problem.

"It's alright," he reassured. "However, I will ask you to minimize your expenditures. I'm sure our guide would be veeery unhappy if he knew what you were doing."

My head fell from its perch in my palm, and I cradled it into my elbow. "Mmmmm…." I groaned into the uncomfortable sleeve. He was right, and I felt horrible about it. My own scathing words played back through the foggy halls of memory.

I felt Dark lay his arm across my shoulders. "It'll be alright. We'll still have enough."

"That's not it," I admitted, continuing muffling speech into my sleeve.

"Then what is?"

"I said some things I shouldn't have, and all he was trying to do was help."

"He'll forgive you."

"And you know that for a fact?"

"Yes."

"How?"

There was a pause, but I was unable to see the reason, my eyes still buried deep in the scratchy material. When Dark started again, it was noticeable that he had leaned in quite close to avoid eavesdropping. "Every couple has arguments. It just shows how much you both care about eachother."

"So saying 'get the hell out of my face' is code for 'I never want you to leave'."

Dark gave in to a few short chuckles. "Not quite, no," he corrected. "It's good to spend some time apart, or you'll just get annoyed with eachother."

"How do you know all this stuff? You've been out in the real world for… what? A month, a little more?"

"Well… I had a lot of time to think about it."

"But how do you _know_? You were locked in the dungeons before that, no?"

"Yes, I was."

"And all you got before that are memories from me?"

"Yes."

I was stumped. The ale didn't help in the least. "I give up. You're not gonna tell me, anyway."

Dark pursed his lips. I couldn't read the entirety of his expression, but something was stirring behind the cloth. "All in due order," he replied after a long thought. "In the meantime… perhaps it would be best to find the priest."

"He's probably asleep, if he's as old as they say he is."

"So? You're just sitting here, and a tavern is the perfect place to ask for the goings on in such a secluded place. Even if we don't find him this evening, perhaps we can find where he stays so we can find him first thing in the morning."

"Alright then," I agreed, deciding not to fail at arguing. "Excuse me," I projected down the bar toward the Gerudo hostess that was busy 'cleaning' some of the dishes with a rag that seemed as though it had seen many years of use and very few rinses. Her glowing orange eyes only lifted for a moment to indicate her attention. "I was told I would be able to find and old man by the name of Zarrah in this town. Would you happen to know where I might be able to-"

"Not find that _pujalli_ here. Just up and leave two days ago," the barkeep replied in a throaty Gerudo accent, without looking up from the glass.

"…he left? Where did he go?"

She stared through the bottom of the cup at the glowing lamp before reinserting the rag. "Cannot say, he just go. Not say about leaving, not say where he go, not say anything."

"Is that… normal?" I pursued, trying to wrap my impaired brain around the words.

"This first time I ever see. I live and work here since the fall of Gana'andar, and he was here long before," she said with a tinge of grumpiness.

_Ah… another victim of my triumphs. It seems I have enemies in places I didn't even know existed._

Ganondorf, being the only Gerudo man for a hundred years among the tribes and king of the western thieves, was a highly celebrated historical figure in their culture. When he had been defeated, the Gerudo were harshly persecuted as the kin of the Theif Lord. Many had fled to escape the crusade, and most were never heard of again.

"Every day, I work, and everyday until yesterday, he come here in evenings," she continued. "I come in yesterday, only to find empty seat. I send errand boy to the tower, he find nothing, noone."

"You look… familiar." Her head snapped back and forth several times in quick but erratic intervals. "You both do." Her eyes locked upon me, staring something fierce. "Brothers?" she mocked suspiciously.

"Yeah, that's right," I assured.

The barkeep seemed unconvinced. "How long have your eyes been gone?"

"He's been blind sin-" I began to answer, but was angrily cut off.

"I not ask YOU, I ask HIM," she growled, pointing to Dark. "I ask you question, _kan'diil. _How long?" she hissed demandingly.

Dark turned his head to approximately face the hostess. "Far too long."

The waitress slammed the glass on the bar with a unsympathetic _plink_. "You think it funny?"

"I don't find it funny at all," he replied gravely. "It hasn't been since the day your king's reign began. There's nothing even remotely humorous about

"

"He is already blind, has nothing to protect." She twisted the blade into the table, spinning a large splintered chunk out of the wood. "I want to see myself."

Dark's grip tightened upon the shaft of the scythe. "It's not polite to bring attention to someone's disability, you know. Even your people understand that."

Without further warning, the Gerudo unstuck the blade from the tabletop and pressed the tip into the bottom of Dark's chin. "Out here," she whispered threateningly, "being polite will get you killed. You will find out first hand if you do not do."

It was only in these moments of consternation that I realized that, in my earlier outburst, I had neglected to bring my sword. I pictured it, uselessly leaning in the corner next to the bed.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid._

_"_Alright… just… put the knife down," I pleaded with the tender. "

"NO MORE DELAYS! You will show me NOW, or you will have a very unsightly hole drilled through your skull."

Even with the cold steel tip to his skin, Dark was unruffled. He moved not a

The tavernkeep gasped, falling backwards into the glasses she had just finished cleaning, which tumbled over and smashed into smithereens upon the warped wooden floorboards.

"DEMON! GET OUT!" the Gerudo shrieked as she tried to clamor backwards over the bar, knocking the remaining dishes to their doom. Her fluffy pantleg caught a stationary drying rack, hindering her escape. "DEMONS!!!"

"Please…. I can explain," I rushed, hoping to quiet her. Things had gone from bad to horrible.

She shrank back into the corner in fear, unable to yell any further. The three men at the far end of the bar had bolted for the door the moment the barkeep had begun to scream, toppling over every piece of furniture that had stood in their way.

_Ah SHIT. Now everybody's gonna know._

"A curse was laid upon him by Kotake."

"Kotake?!" she assured scardily. "She's been DEAD for almost a deca- oh…." Her voice faltered, obviously realizing the timelines matching up.

_Oh PLEEEEEASE don't let me screw this up._

I took a deep breath and tried muster my most level, convincing tone. "We were told of a mystic named Zarrah who would be able to lift the curse. We travelled a long way in search of his assistance."

The hostesses eyes didn't leave Dark for even a moment, but her heavy breathing started to slow ever so slightly. "It's…. not contagious, is it?"

"It's a curse, not a disease," Dark started with the same cool serenity he had showed with the knife to his neck. "You are completely safe."

"I don't believe you," the Gerudo stammered defiantly.

"That is up to you. I cannot make you believe anything I say, I can simply ask you to. I have nothing to gain from a lie, except perhaps some unwanted attention. I do not wear a blindfold for the sheer aesthetic value."

The hostess considered for a very long moment. "And… you are here to see Zarrah?"

"Well," Dark responded with a noticeable twinge of crushing disappointment,"we were. But, as you have informed us… it seems the journey has been in futility."

_Wow… he's good._

Dark's head fell, the glow dimming from his eyes.

_Is he even acting?_

"I'm…" the hostess began, "..I'm sorry you not find what you were looking for."

Dark remained silent.

_What's going through his head?_

"Then I suppose our journey has come to a very unfulfilling end," I added with remarkable accuracy. Indeed, if Zarrah was gone, there would be no blessing, no entry to the fountain… and no answer to the questions brought about by the strange voice.

"Perhaps… I can give an alternative?" the barkeep offered. Dark's head snapped quickly to the side.

"Alternative? What ever do you mean?" he asked.

"When Zarrah was found missing, another man came to take his place. He arrived just today."

"He was replaced?" Dark's astonished tone pursued.

"Wait… how did he get here?" I asked suspiciously. It seemed rather fishy that, while our own journey had taken more than a week, a replacement had followed in less than two days.

"Magic?" the hostess suggested. "I do not question how things happen. He come here this morning, bearing royal papers. Was appointed by Hyrule authorities. That is all I know."

_Well…. it's better than nothing. _

"Doesn't that seem a little… doubtful?"

"No. The Tower Keeper is incredibly important. It is the reason this town was made."

Dark fumbled for the blindfold before replacing it, still acting wholly blind. "What is the man's name?"

"Don't know. All I see of him was this morning. Spend all day in the tower."

"So… we just go over there and ask him for help?"

"Why not?" the hostess replied. "If you not go see him, then it will be complete wasted time." She stood slowly and gave a slight bow. "I am sorry, but the tavern closes now. You will have to leave for tonight. Open again at daybreak." With that, she shooed us out the room. From the sounds that floated through the walls, she had begun a full-out assault on the broken dishes and furniture.

"She does have a point there," I added as we shuffled out onto the dusty road just across from the inn where we were staying. "It's not like we're going anywhere soon. We can go tomorrow, first thing, alright?"

Dark's dejected demeanor abated slightly. "Alright… then it's off to bed?"

I shuddered, thinking faintly of the irate Sheikah waiting just upstairs. Perhaps the good news would settle him.

_And I am to sleep in the same bed as him tonight, too. How pleasant._

_To Be Continued…_

(YAAAAAAAAAAY new chapter. yeah… things have been really busy. Sorry for making all you guys wait, I hope you won't hate me too much for it . I don't even really know how good it is, I haven't really been able to look over it in it's entirety, I simply don't have the time right now. I can maybe get a page done per week, IF that, and that's using pretty much every spare minute I got. So, I'm not gonna say that I can guarantee the next chapter soon, but I CAN promise I'll try.)

'A hero cannot be a Hero of Time unless in a Hylian world.' - Adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne


	13. Chapter 13

Aglyphis XIII

The tower loomed upward in huge spirals of dull black stone and mortar, twisting in an intricate stack of wide-radiused helices, inconceivably tall in the breaking daylight as we three stood at the base. I had nearly doubled over backward whilst trying to look toward the obelisk's crest. The tower was strangely distant from the rest of the town, which encircled it with a wide berth of brown, barren, dusty dirt separating them. The sun was just coming up over distant fields. The tingling that emanated from the tower had become a dull itch across every inch of the body. That, mixed with the irritating Horseweed, made for an uncomfortable state.

"Do you think perhaps it's compensating for something?" I wondered aloud rudely.

"Well, it definitely does the job," Dark agreed as he too followed the uncannily huge building. He had one corner of his blindfold raised to get a look, one of the glowing orbs partially uncovered. He re-placed the bandage.

I looked over at Sheik, hoping to coax a response. The hardened stare discouraged my efforts.

_I hope he cheers up soon. _I looked again skyward, wondering just where in this massive structure the particular wizard would be. There could easily be a thousand well sized rooms for all sorts of strange purposes._ He KNOWS that it's a delicate thread upon which we walk… it isn't polite to go in angry to a formal meeting._

After the insignificance had set in next to the spire, our attention fell to the massive door. The arch was fitted with a stunning double of grey wood, hieroglyphs and characters of dead languages carved ornately into the smooth surface. A large knocker adorned the left door, the brass ring dangling in the teeth of a sculpted granite head of a large cat.

"So… who's gonna knock?" I suggested after a comfortably long pause began to pass.

"Be warned if you do." It was the first words I had heard from Sheik all day.

"Does it say that? These characters?"

"No," Sheik corrected. "The knocker is the head of a Raj'ja, the symbol of the ancient empire of the Krittikit. They were once at arms against the Sheikah. The empire fell long ago, but the Raj'ja still survive in some of the borderlands of Hyrule. It is meant as a warning to not bring about unnecessary triflings. The Krittika Kings had an expansive collection of these cats. If one were to bother a king with things he deemed petty, he would simply snap his fingers, and the Raj'ja would make the problem simply disappear. Ever since that time, the Raj'ja have become synonymous with a dire consequence for triviality, or in some interpretations, incompetence."

"Seems a bit harsh," Dark commented.

"We're here for a good reason… right?" I reassured. "Saving the world is a good thing?"

Rather than answer, Sheik shot an irritated glance at me before stepping forward. He grasped the huge brass ring within his bandaged fingers, and paused for a moment.

"Go ahead," I encouraged.

Sheik let go, as if stumped. He found another grip, and pulled back, hard. Even through the gown, I could see his muscles tensing, straining. He let go, and stepped back, hands on his thin hips.

"It won't budge."

"Is it rusted?"

"I don't think so. Perhaps."

Dark stepped foreward as well, his scythe held horizontally about chest level. He felt around the door with his hand, carefully feeding the bottom end of the staff between the ring and door. "Maybe if we just try to lever it a bit, it'll come loose enough."

But as he yanked backwards, the knocker budged none. Planting his feet in the ground, Dark struggled and strained, but alas, the ring laid still. The metal shaft bowed to a dangerously sharp curve.

"What use is a knocker if you can't lift it?" I observed as Dark relaxed his staff, emmiting a peculiar dripping noise from the warping of metal.

"Maybe it's just for ornamentation." Sheik observed. Better, considering it had no edge.

"Well, let me try."

"Go ahead."

I stepped forward, grasping the metal knocker and bracing myself. I closed my eyes, and yanked as hard as I could, throwing myself backward away from the door.

Just as I had begun to move, however, I felt an intense warmth radiating in my forearms, like many times before under great strain.

_Oh dear… an underestimate._

Unable to stop the momentum I had already set in motion, I felt the ring lift up without any noticeable resistance. Swinging upward in my hands, the smooth metal slipped from my fingers, and stranded me with no brace. I tumbled backward, attempting and ultimately failing in trying to regain my balance, planting my face into a small dead shrub several feet back from the door.

A deafening explosion made me lurch to my feet, only to see the knocker trembling from the deafening explosion it produced, rattling the entire doorway. A small layer of dust scattered in the air as the ring dropped heavily.

"That wasn't so bad."

Sheik looked at me curiously, while Dark could do nothing but quickly catch his bearings, still confused from the unexpected noise.

"That couldn't have been the knocker… right? That was way too loud." dark asked.

The rumbling still rattled up the stone spire above.

Dark obviously realized he was indeed incorrect. "Perhaps some sort of magically enhanced doorbell?" he mumbled into his palm, looking up ponderously, almost as if he could indeed see through the blind. "Not likely anyone would be able to hear you knocking if they were way up there."

"I guess we'll see, then." I stared at the gigantic doorway. "Think we'll have to wait for him to walk down all the stairs?"

"Of course not," Sheik started with a prickly tongue. "He'll just ma-"

The loud rattle and creak of the huge doorway giving in, swinging as drawn in by the inhaling breath of the tower. The sudden movement shook a thick dust, blasting a cloud that forced protection in the cradle of an arm. A final grinding screech, a loud clack, and the echo of the whole event up the tower, and all returned calm.

I waited for some of the dust to die down before I dared look upon what had been revealed.

I was sorely disappointed.

_I KNEW stairs was gonna screw this up somehow._

The revealed room was simple, and empty. We stood at the barrier, carefully inspecting the whole interior before simply walking in without a voiced invitation. It was nothing but a large, rock-walled, circular room with a single spiraling staircase in the very center. The steps led into a single hole in the matching laid rock ceiling, easily half a furlong up. It was impressively vacant.

"Does this whole tower really sit on such rickety foundations?" I wondered aloud. "These walls aren't but two or three feet thick, and everything above it is solid rock!"

"Magic," Dark replied simply. "Everything about this place is a mystery. Logic does not apply. Ah, yes. Magic makes it's own logic, because it solves everything."

"I suppose." It was apparent, due to the lack of a greeter, that we were to go up the stairs. "I guess we go up?"

"You first," Dark suggested.

"Why, you scared?" I teased.

"No," he defended passively, "I'm saying that YOU'RE the one who's supposed to come here and ask questions. We're both just technically escorts."

Sheik gave a light huff.

"Whatever," I agreed casually, starting to take the step across the barrier into the tower. "I guess it takes a real man to-" but I was cut short by an involuntary sigh of relief.

As I had stepped into the chasm, a most galling burden was lifted from my body. The twinge that we had discovered had faded in such the instant.

"Real men cut their sentences short, I suppose?" Dark returned.

"Dude, get in here, it's SO much better," I commented, drawing the first easy breaths since the night before. It had worn on me after such long exposure.

"What?"

"That thing, it's just," I said, unable to get the words out. "Just… POOF!" I exclaimed. I started to celebrate a little, realizing the trek up the stairs would be much easier.

Obviously curious, Dark too strode into the room. "Oh," he stated simply with the same relieved expression. "That's interesting."

Sheik gave us both irritated stairs for our lack of specificity, and took a rather tense step in as well. His eyes widened briefly and he gave a slight gasp, but otherwise did not acknowledge his own relief. He did, however, have his priorities.

"Up the stairs. We must be prompt," he commanded.

"How far do you think these things_ go_?" I groaned sluggishly after what seemed a billion steps. Surely it was past mid-day by now, but the tight, constantly spiraling staircase had no windows to see where the sun might be. My thighs had burned like coals, but it had been mostly replaced by numbness that comes afterward. It had become slighter slower going. It did not help that the only light available were torches that lined the walls every quarter-turn of the stairway. "There's not gonna be any space for rooms if we keep going up much longer."

_And I thought this was gonna be EASY._

"Just up ahead, it'll open up." Dark assured.

"How do you know? You can't even see."

"I don't know. But it's more helpful to think that way. I'll be right eventually."

"Unless it turns out to be some weird dungeon maze puzzle thing that makes an ever-lasting staircase. Navi would have something to say sooner or later."

"Turn green and fly around something important, perhaps? Make you tap an A button?"

"Something like that,"I agreed.

We continued our trek upward, step by each dusty step. The walls were narrow and just tall enough to accommodate a horse's height, bending out of sight almost immediately. The sets of footsteps echoed up around the endless circling stairway, every inch carved intricately with runes of several languages and scrolling pictures that told of legends long past. If we weren't in such a hurry, I'd have asked Sheik if he could tell me any of the stories. I saw the Triforce symbol at least a dozen times before I lost count. At one point, I happened to glance at a glyph that looked much like the Goron's Ruby.

"I'm sort of curious… what ever happened to the three spiritual stones? Surely, they haven't been left on display in the temple of time, they'd have been looted for sure."

"Held in the safest of keeping," Sheik replied. "Only a select few even know that they haven't been destroyed or stolen, and even fewer know where they are."

"And you're not one of them?"

Sheik shook his head. "The queen doesn't even know where they are, exactly."

"Then how do you know they're safe?"

"Because they are."

"And you know that for absolutely sure?"

"Yes, I do," he growled.

"Alright. Then that's all I need to know." I tried to make him as happy as I could, knowing full well the very reason we had made such a trek was in the balance. I perhaps hadn't picked the wisest of questions to ask. He seemed to be very touchy about any subjects concerning the queen, especially ones critical of her actions.

"Good. That's all you'll get to know," he grumbled pointedly.

"You know," I started, "you're being-"

_NO, DON'T… don't say it._

I cut myself off midsentence, catching myself before starting an argument.

"What?" Sheik growled, turning his head back with an icy stare. "I'm being what?"

"No, I'm not going to do this. This is NOT the time," I stated firmly.

"Time for what?" Sheik stopped, forcing a halt to the procession. Dark, unable to see the unannounced expression, walked into me before stumbling back.

"What was that for?"

"What isn't it time for?" Sheik reiterated. "I asked you a simple question," His red eyes were ablaze. "The least you can do is answer me. Go ahead. But are you such the kind of warrior, speaking ill of those around and above him?"

Now he had done it. "I am NOT going to be railroaded into being the subordinate here."

"As by declaration of the crown you swore an oath to serve, that's exactly what you are."

_DON'T SAY IT._

I didn't catch myself soon enough that time.

"And that's all I am to you? A fucking subordinate?"

_FUCK. _

I soon received my answer. A fraction of a second later, Sheik planted two bandaged knuckles within the soft separation between my shoulder and chestbone. The nerves pinched hard, sending a debilitating pain throughout my entire left side, causing my leg to buckle and forced me to a lean against the wall.

"So you admit it with your actions," I rasped, head still reeling from the sudden shock. "You call me inferior, you abuse me like an inferior… I guess… that's all you see. "

I felt a sudden tug at my collar, lifting my face so as to give a clean shot to the head. I watched through one squinted eye as his right fist came closer and closer, time slowing down, bracing for the pain.

It didn't come. As his knuckles were upon my flesh, they made a sharp turn, merely brushing the skin just below the cheekbone. His wrist laid upon my shoulder, fist brushing past my ear like an arrow, instead slamming hard into the wall upon which I was pinned. I heard a popping crunch upon the collision, and felt a slight spattering of rock and dust across my neck and face as he laid inward. He leaned against the wall with his fist, a tiny trickle of crimson spreading across the finger wrappings. His cowl billowed in his ragged breath.

I looked at him, he looked at me.

His eyes went wide and out of focus, staring straight through his outstretched fist, still clenched and pressed against the wall. He stumbled back a step before losing his footing and falling to a seat upon the next step.

"Feel better now?" I asked cautiously, the feeling returning to my side.

Rather than reply, he stared off through the walls for a thousand miles. Sheik's eyes refocused, looking around skittishly. His hand fell into one of the folds in his clothing.

_He's not gonna-_

With the flick of a wrist, and a bright flash, he was gone.

"Deku nut?" Dark inquired, sniffing at the thin smokey cloud that filled the narrow passage.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I cursed loudly, which echoed almost to the point of non-sense. "WHERE THE FUCK DID HE GO?"

Dark made a squeak with his teeth. "Well, theres only two ways he COULD go, up or down. My bet is on up."

_WHY does this happen NOW?_

I groaned miserably, fingers running through my hair in anger. I had succeeded with only a handful of words at destroying any hope of a pleasant, normal meeting with a rather important wizard.

_Alright… Sheik won't do anything stupid. He knows better._

"So… we just continue," I said more to myself than anything.

And continue we did. For a long, long way. My legs felt as though they were being stung from the inside by jellyfish. I had never seen so many stairs in the entire rest of my life put together. I had thought Ganon's Tower had been bad, but at least it was interesting, enemies along the way to take the mind off the endless drudgery. Sometimes, I wish I hadn't sold those bunny ears to the mailman. You could run like a motherfucker all day and never get tired.

As we rounded one corner, I noticed a profound change. I stopped and looked about the spiraling hallway. "Hey Dark," I said, "take a look at this."

As he pushed the blind up above his brow, he looked up at the ceiling to where I was pointing. "The carvings just end in one big flat line right here?"

The graphics on the wall ceased abruptly, many of the pictures half-finished.

"Hm… perhaps we are close?" he remarked.

I observed some of the symbols leading up the cut-off, and I saw one very familiar shape in the jumble. The oblong, peaked shape of an ocarina, and not just any. Upon it was a small triforce symbol. I pulled out my own and inspected it to confirm the marking in the same spot. I looked around it for others. Just a little to the left was the proud shape I had beheld several long years ago. It was the Master Sword, laying in it's pedestal. Next to it was a little boy in a pointed hat and tunic with a fairy.

"I think these walls record history," I mentioned. A little further down, I saw a picture of a coiled dragon next to a Goron I assumed was supposed to be Darunia. I scanned near the edge, where it became flat. There were two identical figures next to a masked character with an eye on his chest. "There's where we found you, I think."

"Interesting," Dark replied.

"I guess that means it was important, huh?" I said, looking at a half-finished carving that resembled the lower half of this accursed tower. "I'm on here EVERYwhere."

I looked back to Dark. His eyes wide, staring at the wall as though it were turning into snakes. "We need to keep going."

"Why?" I inquired, curiously, trying to match where in the jumble of events his eyes were pointed, but the characters were too small and jumbled together to really tell.

"We need to keep moving," he repeated with urgency, "or we will be late." He turned up the stairs and began to march, holding his scythe in a way that forced me to keep going up the staircase.

"But I'm not done looking. Can't we take a fuckin' rest for once? We've been going up these damned stairs for hours."

"We can rest in a little while," he stated.

He proceeded to bully me up several stairs until the border had spiraled out of sight.

"What the fuck is up with you?"

"I want to get out of this stupid tower by sunset, and it's gonna be an even longer trek down. Best keep a move on," he said, pleasantly as could be.

_Hmph. I'll just look at it on the way back down, then. _

I decided not to question him further until I had another clue.

We continued upward, Dark shepherding me up at a slightly faster pace. My legs were numb once again, and my breathing was ragged at the grueling exercise. How Dark managed to keep such a pace, unable to see, and not lose balance seemed as if he had been blind his whole life.

"How many_ more -_ can there BE?" I gasped.

"The question – you should be asking," Dark stammered airily, his own breathing taxed by exhaustion, "is what awaits – at the top."

My face started to become numb from lack of oxygen. "No, the question- I should be asking – is when do I get – that break you – promised me?"

My attention drawn by conversation, I misplaced my footing and tripped up a couple stairs before nearly knocking my teeth out on the corners of one.

Dark stopped immediately at the shuffling. "I take it – that's a sign – to stop."

"You think?" I mumbled into the stone, still not having recovered from the fall. It was rather comfortable, really. I decided to lay there a moment, catch my breath.

But as I stared at the dusty ground, I noticed a small, red stain puddled in the grout line of a stair.

_"_Sheik's been here recently."

"How can you tell?"

"This blood drop… it's still wet." I dipped a finger into it, only to feel it mildly tacky. I pushed myself up, still aching from the fall.

"I can't stand him sometimes," I grumbled to myself out of frustration and exhaustion.

Dark seemed a might irritated. "Come on, Link. I can't say that I saw what happened, but I was there."

"He almost punched me in the FACE!"

"Well… I can't say I'd blame him."

"What?"

"I said I can't blame him."

"So now I'm not even on my own side here."

"Those were fighting words, and you knew it completely. When two people are as… intimate with eachother as you, the kinds of things that you said WILL hurt, without exception. Sheikah aren't used to being injured emotionally, by their upbringing. And they only know one way to respond to being hurt, and that is to make you hurt back."

"So you believe it's all my fault,"

"Link, stop that right now. You're acting like a child."

I was ready to throttle the shade. "You're gonna…. Who the fuck..." I lividly stumbled, unable to form any sort of logical sentence to personify the thousands of thoughts and emotions going through my head. My breathing became taxed, and my sight seemed to go a little fuzzy.

Then, as though he had returned, I heard a few of Sheik's words echo through my thoughts.

_ Stop. Calm yourself. Bad situations are made worse in frustration. _

My muscles relaxed as I took a deep breath. "Sorry," I said. "You're right."

We rested for a few minutes more in silence, before restarting our upward drag.

It wasn't long before there was some good news.

"Do you hear that?" Dark asked.

I listened hard, only to hear the echoing footsteps and the metallic clank of Dark's scythe reply.

"No."

"Hold still." He tapped his staff on the stone step, listening to the ricocheting sounds off the narrow walls for several moments before declaring, "we're almost there."

"You can hear that from an echo?"

"Second echo, to be more precise. Close your eyes, and listen."I did so. Dark stamped it again, and I could hear the rumble as it traveled up the winding case, bouncing off the rock.

"I still don't-"

"Shhh…"

Just as it all fell silent once again, a light snap returned, this one going back down the hallways before dissipating.

"Oh… I get it," I nodded, a slight smile spreading. I opened my eyes again. "What other cool stuff do you hear when you wear that thing?"

"Nothing more than what can be heard without it. I just have to listen."

"Well, Mr. blind ninja, how about a race to the top?" I said exuberantly, scurrying up a few steps. "

"You win. I forfeit already," he mused, continuing at his normal pace. "I'll trip and cut my head off for sure."

"You're no fun. Sheik would."

"I would what?" came the unmistakeable voice from up the stairs.

I stopped in my tracks, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to make any wrong move, or it could cost us dearly.

"Just, yeah… the stairs, we were gonna… nevermind." I stammered loud enough to project up the curve.

"Good enough for me," the call returned. "Are you just gonna stay down there, or are you coming up?"

"No, we're coming."

We rounded the last twenty five steps along the curve to find another door, Sheik standing just in front of it. His right hand was hidden under a fold of his clothing. He stared intently at the portal. There was no knocker on this one, it was simply a sculpted, marble slate.

"So… I'm guessing this one isn't gonna open as easily."

"Perhaps _this_ one," Sheik started, "is meant more as a –"

The door rumbled loudly before receding upward into the roof, much to the surprise of Sheik. I felt my scalp began to itch; it seemed too much like the countless dungeons I had conquered long ago.

"-decoration."

The door opened to expose another room at longest last, but this one was clearly much more important, by dictation of the décor. The room was a gigantic dome, supported by a circle of eight vaulted marble pillars that joined together in the middle of the roof, from which hung a tapered spire that extended halfway down between ceiling and floor. The pillars were inscribed with hieroglyphs much like the entrance doors and walls of the lower tower, but these were leafed with gold and precious gems. The stone walls and floor were not of the same dusty, dull gray rock of the staircase, but smooth, shimmering dark stone that seemed to have no seams, no mortar to hold it together, as if a monolith. Candles and torches dotted golden stands and walls, creating enough light to take it all in.

Everything, even in it's grandiosity, seemed dull in comparison to the centerpiece of the room. Directly underneath the central spire, atop an ornately chiseled marble pedestal sat a huge black diamond, shimmering in the faint torchlight. It was a smooth cone that sat upon three rock legs, cut flawlessly along the sides, but the top which should be flat was instead ragged and sharp, almost as if it were just a fragment broken off of a larger stone.

"Greetings, Hero of Time," sounded a voice, low and threatening.

My hand raised over my shoulder to the hilt of my sword, hoping that there would be no reason not to use it. I looked about, assessing the room in it's entirety before concluding that there was no speaker present.

"I have been expecting your visit,"

"How… did you know that?"

"Ah, how could I not hear you knocking?"

"That doesn't answer my question," I replied suspiciously.

"The doorknock which you lifted was enchanted. It's mass load was increased to be that of a cord of pure gold," the echoing whisper returned.

Dark whistled quietly. "A hundred horse-weight," he mumbled to himself.

"Much so," the rasp creaked. "Only one of supernatural strength could even hope, much less expect, to lift it. Although… it is nice to have some very powerful artifacts to assist you."

Unintentionally, my grip grew tighter about the hilt. _I don't like this guy already._

Sheik was not amused at the angst-inducing tactics. "I do not mean any offence," he stated flatly to the room, "but in my culture it is disrespectful to not have a conversation face to face. "

A dreadful chuckle followed, echoing off the walls of the room. "Ah… yes. How rude of me."

A sudden shiver ran down my spine, causing my skin to squirm like live bait. A nasty bite of an odd chill made my eyes itch. The candles died down to near- extinguishment, casting heavy shadows about the room, dreary shadow-puppets playing in the gloom. A whoosh of air circled the dome, swirling as though a tornado were fast approaching. The torches seemed to die for what was a blink of an eye, then all became still and the reclusive blazes jumped back to life, crackling as if nothing had happened.

But now, another figure was illuminated by the dim glow. Standing straight, a tall, pasty-skinned man leaned against the giant black crystal, his broad hands resting upon the jagged surface. His hair was black as night, only but an inch long and pointed straight up as though it were fine needlegrass. He wore no shirt, exposing an intricate pattern of what looked to be self-inflicted scars in the shapes of runes I had never seen before that circled across his broad chest and down his powerful looking arms. His puffy black leggings fell to the ground into his tanned leather moccasins. A single, dangling silver earring hung from his left ear, suspending a small stone that seemed to be of the same material to the one he was leaning against.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the man whispered. "I am Lezura, newly enstated keeper of the Tower, and your host on this fine day."

"What happened to Zarrah?" Sheik asked gruffly. "He was the one we were told would be here."

The priest didn't seem the least bit concerned. A thin, sharp smile revealed little. "It is not my business to know, nor yours. I have every authority Zarrah held. There is no need for him this day." Lezura turned his head slightly, addressing Dark. "And you must be the shade. It is alright, you can take off your blind. There are none here who will find it… unnatural."

Dark's head turned directly towards the voice, considering for a long moment before slowly unwrapping the cloth. He looked surprised when he first laid eyes upon Lezura. "How did you…"

"There are few secrets that you can keep from me while in this tower."

_Now I REALLY don't like him._

The conversation halted for an uncomfortable moment before Lezura started again.

"Perhaps you were wondering… just what this is," he rasped, tapping one of his fingers upon the huge black diamond. The darkness of the stone seemed to ripple like water under his touch.

Sheik seemed to think it was best to be polite, to listen to our host's story. "Yes," he replied in his flat, almost sarcastically uninterested monotone. "The entire tower is built around this one stone. It must be very important."

"It is, yes. Do you know the history of Klassad?"

"Klassad? " Dark inquired incredibly. "I thought that was all just a story."

Sheik was not amused. "Rubbish. Klassad was a fanatic, and his followers were power-hungry maniacs. Their twisted legacy of necromancy and elemental terrorism was destroyed hundreds of years ago."

Lezura chuckled, amused. "I see that the legends of your Lord Patriarch have become skewed with time. I assure you, Sheikah, the feats of Klassad remain to this day."

Sheik's eyes reduced to slits. Even through the disguise, the priest had seen his identity. It was a dangerous situation, with what we all suspected was a very dangerous man.

"Upon the moment Klassad was slain, the source of his power was destroyed, shattered. Most of the pieces were reduced to dust that blew away on the winds, never to be heard of again… but among the remains were three shards. Realizing the danger that they posed, it became of utmost importance to conceal the pieces, while the legends ceased at the war's end."

I became curious, before deciding to inquire. "Why?"

Lezura's expression changed. From the eerie, savage face and tone, he changed to one of quiet reflection.

"Klassad was an ancient wizard, gifted in the arcane arts. He was originally to be the Sage of Shadow of his time, but the rest of the sages voted against him for whatever reasons they had."

"Because he was a lunatic." Sheik scowled.

Lezura didn't heed the interruption. "Upon such, he publicly denounced the council as corrupt and started a rebellion against them. He gathered a following, and many powerful warlocks and warriors came to his side." Lezura stepped leisurely from behind the stone, stalking around the table. "Klassad's peculiar style and knowledge of the hidden magicks earned him the nickname 'The Dark Orator'. From his pedestal on the top of what is known today as Death Mountain, he could cast his powers across Hyrule and farther, as far as his eyes could see. The pedestal was known as his Dias, and it was the source of his great and terrible power."

"Was the Dias a fiera?" I asked.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. It was a very peculiar type. For the magick that was stored within the rock was not the same magick that you may find in a typical 'ring' or 'pendant' type of fiera, or even what you might find in your gloves. Instead, it held the miracles of life and death."

Upon my quizzical explanation, Sheik clarified with a stern, dry tongue. "Souls, he means. Klassad banished the souls of those he killed into the stone, so he could use their life energy to perform his disgusting brand of heretical magic."

My eyes fell to the large stone, taken slightly aback.

"And…. this is one of the pieces of the Dias?"

Lezura touched his fingertips together. "Very good, Hero," he whispered. "This is the largest remaining piece of the legacy of Klassad."

I stared into the deep blackness of the stone, wondering just who's souls had been entrapped withing it's glimmering depths. "Well… can it still be used for anything?"

Lezura laughed. "Certain things, yes. It has a peculiar trait about it, in that it interacts with an odd strain of magic in a most fascinating way."

"Void, you mean?" Dark clarified.

Lezura head snapped to directly stare at Dark. "You know about Void?"

"We were told that Zarrah was able to control it. Naturally, if this stone does as you say, that would have been the main reason he would have been assigned here."

The look he received back from the priest was one I am glad Dark was unable to see.

"It takes a potent elementalist with an equally potent element to contain the magic that seeps from so large a fragment. Void is one of them."

Still a little suspicious of Lezura, I asked another question. "What's your element?"

"Why... Darkness, of course."

_This just keeps getting better and better._

A soft thump and light rush of air from behind use three disturbed my thoughts.

As we all turned around in unison, we were taken aback by an unexpected visitor. A large grey cat sat there, back legs tucked under it, licking one of its front paw as the other supported it's bulk. It was almost exactly like a housecat cleaning itself after a meal, only it was easily eight hands at it's shoulder if it were to stand. A long, slender tail swished along the dusty ground, but didn't seem to kick up a cloud. It's face was familiar and vicious, two long sabers extending out of it's top jaw. It was the same head as the knocker downstairs.

My hand was still at the ready, and begun to draw my blade.

The cat seemed to sense the danger, and planted the paw it had been cleaning in front of it. It's tail had begun to twitch excitedly, it's yellow eyes staring me down as if daring me to draw first.

Lezura seemed entertained. "I can see that you met Sykri." He snapped his long fingers above his head.

The cat's ears laid back at the sound, and it's eyes shifted to it's master. The tail once again swayed calmly, and the large claws that had erupted from the slim paws receded.

"He won't bite unless he is provoked. Please, sit down. Would you care for something to drink."

"No, we're fine." Sheik stated flatly, still eyeing the cat. It was evident that he held no trust for this mysterious wizard.

Lezura seemed to not notice the protest.

"Well then, let us get to the real reason that you decided to make the long journey from Hyrule to this secluded little village."

A slight I stole a wary glance at Sheik, who's calmness unnerved me slightly. Of course that, I suppose, made him a Shiekah. His eyes were locked upon the wizard once again. The fiery stare was all too familiar.

_Something doesn't seem right here._

"Well…" I started, recalling what the great Owl had said, "we were sent here by the queen as messengers."

"That is what you were told to say. I asked for the real reason," he hissed with a subtle yet demanding tone.

Something stirred inside my brain. I considered for a moment that this was not someone I should be talking to. He knew more then he let on, and I had a feeling that he already had some insight as to my answer.

Sheik seemed displeased. His back had gone rigid, waiting for something to go awry.

"We were told that the priest of this tower would be able to grant a blessing that would grant us access to the fountain of the-"

"Absolutely not," Lezura interrupted.

"I didn't even get to finish," I protested. "We need to go to the fairy-"

"It is not my concern what you may or may not need it for. It will make no difference to me."

"Yes it does," I insisted vehemently. "If you don't, the whole-" but that is where I stopped. Out of the corner of my eye, Dark's head shifted, waiting for my next words. I was pretty sure I didn't need this man learning of Hyrule's perils.

Lezura, on the other hand, began to take some interest, obviously suspecting there was something being kept from him. "The whole what?"

Dark took up. "The whole reason we came here would be for naught, and we don't take too kindly to rejection. So we'll just have to stay here and continue to persuade you until you grant us what we seek."

Lezura didn't seem content with the answer, but had no comment on it.

"The blessings of the goddesses are precious."

"But we were sent by the queen on a-"

"I don't care if Din the Forger herself sent you. If I were to simply bless everyone that came to this tower, there wouldn't be any point in this particular system."

_But…. Kaepora said that he'd do as we ask. He already knows I'm the Hero of Time._

"You've only been here a day," I observed.

"You were told that Zarrah would not deny such a request. He was an old fool. I am wise. He would have relied on intuition. I rely on experience."

"So… you knew him, then? Personally, if you know how he might act," I observed.

"I suppose you can say that."

"Then surely you should have some idea where he went, right?"

Lezura's eyes thinned. He uncrossed his arms and dropped them to his sides. "I'm starting to feel that you aren't comfortable in my presence."

"Well, you can't help us," I growled irritably, "So can you at least point us in the direction of someone who CAN?"

Lezura's expression hardened even more. His powerful hands drew into unhappy fists at his sides. My heart sank.

_I may have just made a big mistake._

"Perhaps you misunderstood me," Lezura rasped. "You come here, to MY tower, asking of me a miracle, a blessing, with nothing to reciprocate with. You then insult my abilities. THEN, you ask more of me. I learn by experience of character rather than my intuition of it. And so far, my experience with you three has been unpleasant."

"So that's what you want?" Sheik interrupted before I could retort and most likely make the situation even worse. "You want reciprocity?"

Lezura's grip relaxed, and an insidious smile cracked across his scarred face. "In a matter of speaking. It is only right, don't you think?"

_No,_ I thought viciously, _it's not right. But what choice do we have?_

"Then what is it that you seek?" Sheik continued. "We have little money, and little to trade."

Lezura's smile widened, revealing a row of straight, sharp teeth. "Money means little to me. Material possessions or commodities come and go like the winds. What I want from you, no money could ever buy. What I want from you is assurance that all three of you are devoted to your cause. I want to see with my own eyes just what you are willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals. Your lives? Your happiness? Your innocence? All of these and more?"

_None here are innocent. Too many horrors still exist in the world._

"And… Just how would we go about proving our devotion?" Sheik inquired carefully.

"Well… there must be trial, right?" Lezura led. "There must be sacrifice, there must be pain. Without pain, how am I to know if you are willing to endure it for your cause?"

_What a wicked man._

"And… what sort of pain did you have in mind?"

"The worst sort."

All three of us went rigid. Lezura's eyes widened at our apprehension.

"You must give up to me that which I value, that which I seek."

"And what exactly is it that you are looking for?" I queried after a short silence.

"You, Hero."

"I'm sorry?"

"I want you," Lezura repeated with an evil chuckle. "I want to test your resolve by taking the flesh of the Hero of Time as a sacrifice."

A horrible wave of apprehension washed over me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sheik's expression twist in the first real emotion since he had nearly punched me in the face. His entire body started to tremble.

"…what?" I asked stupidly.

Lezura's smile lessened. "In exchange for the blessing you seek, I will accept nothing less than your body."

_Oh… no. Please say this isn't real._

"You… you want to take me as your toy?"

"That's not quite how you should look at it," Lezura rasped. "Think of it more as a trial of your character and resolve."

The full weight of the demand set in, and nearly sent me reeling. This man wanted to violate me, for what? This man was no priest. This man was a monster. But he was unlike any monster I had ever encountered before. All the others, I would not think twice about cleaving in two for such dastardly words. I could not just as simply take care of Lezura in such a manner; there would be no magically summoned treasure chest with a blessing inside afterward. He had to be kept alive, and worse yet… he had to be satisfied.

"And if I refuse your test?"

His wicked grin dulled only a little. "Then you spend numberless days searching across the world for Zarrah in hopes that you can find where he has hidden himself away like the coward he is. You must ask yourself one thing: can you afford to lose that time?"

I looked back to Sheik and Dark. Both had their stares locked sternly upon Lezura. The corrupt magician stood gargoyle-still, eyes shifting back and forth upon us three.

"You will accept nothing else?" I clarified, my voice nearly giving out in horror at what the answer may be. Lezura shook his head slowly, confirming my fears. Nothing would sate this man's desire, and he would never give up the sanctions unless it was fulfilled.

_A sin for a blessing. What ironic logic. _

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Sheik, Dark." I announced to get the others' attention. "I want you two to go back to the inn."

I could feel Sheik's stare boring a hole in the side of my head. As I took a step foreward, an iron grip clamped down on my left shoulder. "You're not seriously considering this, are you?"

"I am."

"No. I am NOT going to let this lunatic defile the savior of Hyrule."

"The worse you make it now, Sheikah," Lezura hissed, his hands joining together in front of him with anticipation, "the worse you make it later for him. I suggest you not insult me in such close proximity."

Sheik was silenced at the words, but his grip did not slacken. He gazed at me forlornly through misty red eyes, ones I had seen only a select few times. Though he may not admit it to this day, I think he was nearly to tears.

"No," was all he could muster, albeit solidly and scoldingly.

I placed my hand upon the wrist that held me so tightly, smoothing the material of his sleeve under my fingers. I could feel him shivering in my hands.

"Sheik," I whispered, stealing a peek over my shoulder to ensure Lezura would not hear, "We cannot let this opportunity pass. Fortune may not smile upon us this day, but you know best of all, that whatever we do, whatever happens this night… it is for the greatest good of friends and family that have ever been and ever will be." Sheik's eyes still watered, and crimson streams started to creep in through the edges of the whites. "But most of all, I want you to remember one thing."

I leaned in close, and whispered so soft that had I not been in his ear he would not have heard: "I will still have these two eyes looking only to you."

He took a single rattling breath, and his steel grip relaxed hesitantly.

I kissed him quickly on the cheek, and then drew back, eyes still fixed directly on Sheik's.

But as I turned back to face Lezura, I was blocked by a slanted scythe handle.

"You will accept me as your prize," Dark stated as if he were the dictator of how time would come to pass.

Lezura's expectant expression became muddled by surprise."Why ever would I do that?"

"Why ever not? I am his shade, as you well know. He is me, and I am him. We are of the same flesh. You should have no complaints, as you receive an identical copy of what you seek. Just as good."

The words hit me hard, and I was unable to interject due to confusion_. What did he just say?_

"And if I refuse your offer?" Lezura wondered lazily.

"Then we go out and search the world over for Zarrah, leaving you alone in this tower to rot away your existence, continuing to wait for and never getting what you desire."

Lezura's expression changed, his eyes still filled with lust and evil, but his grin falling into nondescription.

The two commenced a short duel of the eyes, each one locked on the other with the hardest, most confident glare they could muster. It seemed to be the deciding point over which of them would get their way.

It was Lezura who caved first. He broke eye contact, and looked Dark up and down several times, every pass seeming to prod at his desire and hunger. "Know this, then," he finally spoke, "since you have offered your own suffering to stand in the place of the Hero, I shall accept it. Your sacrifice intrigues me, but better yet, it proves to me your devotion. However, you will be subject to a slightly more… extensive trial." The wicked smile returned to the sorcerers brutal face.

I flinched at those final words, not knowing just what extra harm the beast would inflict upon out of spite. I realized just what had happened: I had been spared at the price of Dark.

I grabbed Dark by the arm. "I can't let you do this."

"You don't have to, I will do as I please. And it pleases me to ensure that this man not hurt you. It would be more painful for me not to take your place." His tone, like iron, told me he would be impossible to dissuade. "I have already endured harsher treatment at the hands of much more dangerous men. What is but one more? Enough to keep you from experiencing the true ferocity of man's faults. That is worth a thousand nights of slavery. "

I stared at the shadow's face, trying to block out images of what misfortune might befall him behind the closed door of the priest's chambers, what might have happened to me. But as I looked upon him, a strange change came across his troubled face. His brows relaxed, his lips slackened, and his breathing became calm. His shoulders fell into a more relaxed, natural slump. His grip upon the scythe lessened.

But among all the changes that swept over him, the most mysterious of all… his eyes glowed noticeably brighter. The same sort of fiery glimmer I had seen when we met.

He took another step toward the magician, but his stride and posture were of resolve and control instead of fear. Dark seemed comfortable, a dramatic opposition to what I had seen since Lezura had puzzlingly appeared.

"Well… I cannot deny the request of such a gracious host," Dark mewed sultrily as he drew to a single intimate inch from Lezura, leaning lazily against his staff. "But perhaps there is something that you should know." He put his hand up to Lezura's face, touching the priest's cheek suggestively. "However you decide to play, I will return in kind." He turned his head back to us. "Come back tomorrow, we're busy for today."

_What is he doing?_

Lezura's eyes became alight with a carnal eagerness, as Dark peered directly at him with an erotic smile.

I felt a tug on my tunic. "Let's go, Link."

Sheik was pulling me insistently toward the door.

"Are you crazy?"

"I said lets GO, Link." Sheik's eyes locked with mine, and I could see the profound depth of helplessness that plagued his consciousness. No amount of fighting or magic could aid us right now.

Lezura sniffed. "You should listen to the Sheikah. Return tomorrow morning, and I shall give you what you seek." His eyes ran over Dark one more time. "I have much more…. intimate matters to attend to."

I felt an intense wave of anger flood my brain, and an uncontrollable urge to right this wrong overtook me. Without a second thought of the consequences, I drew my sword and sloughed off Sheik's hand.

"You disgust me," I hissed through gritted teeth. "You deserve nothing less than death." And with that, I stepped forward.

Before my foot hit the ground, however, the Raj'ja seemed to rocket itself over our heads in one effortless bound, and directly in between me and the pair. It was low to the ground, on all fours ready to leap at the least provocation.

"This is one cat I won't feel bad for killing," I snarled, grabbing the hilt with both hands, practically leaping at the cat as it pounced. The blade whistled as I swung for the beast.

But Lezura's hand raised, and snapped his long, thin fingers together. The candles once again began to dim, and I felt an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach, as if I were being pulled by an invisible rope tied to my insides. The ground beneath my feet became wobbly, and the dim lighting became foggy and unclear. I continued my swing through the grey blur that had been the Raj'ja, but it was as if I were slicing fog. The last thing I could see of the room was the pair. Lezura was laughing , and Dark was watching as though he were being entertained by a play. Just before reality began to completely melt away, I could have sworn to see Dark waiving his hand at us as though bidding us good voyage.

I felt as if I were floating in nothingness as the non-descript colors and amorphous shapes flowed around me like water. The air around me seemed to pressurize slightly, squeezing me inwards. It reminded me of the unfortunate time I had picked and eaten the wrong sort of mushroom. It was over in but a moment. The colors and shaped gained definition and clarity, sharpening into my new surroundings.

I was standing outside the base of the tower, staring at the huge front door once again. My hand was still clenched tightly around the sword, the tip but an inch from the nose of the Raj'ja knocker.

(Happy holidays, and this is my gift to you ^_^ That's all. Sorry for the wait. Life's been rough.)

There is no success without hardship, but a Sheikah helps.

- adapted from Sophocles


End file.
